NSW approves `biggest` Aussie wind farm

Australia's biggest wind farm with almost 600 turbines, is to be built in far
western NSW.
State government approval has been given for the project at Silverton, near Broken
Hill.
It will generate enough electricity for 200,000 homes.
NSW Premier Nathan Rees said on Wednesday the $2.2 billion venture would help secure
the state's future energy needs.
"The construction of Silverton Wind Farm Developments (SWFD) wind farm is great news
for jobs and the economy in the far west and even better news for the environment,"
Mr Rees said.
"A single wind turbine will generate enough energy to power up to 732 homes per year
which is the equivalent of taking around 1,170 cars off the road annually."
Mr Rees said the wind farm would create 700 jobs in the Broken Hill area during the
five-year construction period and 120 jobs when up and running.
The renewable energy group Epuron, part of the Macquarie Group, proposed the wind
farm in 2007.
The first stage of construction was approved on the conditions Epuron adhere to
noise guidelines, maintain visual amenity and limit environmental impacts.
Stage one will involve erecting 282 wind turbines, with the number increasing to 598
by the final stage.
NSW had approved 14 wind farms with a total capacity output of 2,486 megawatts since
2005, Mr Rees said.
"When all of these wind farms are up and running they will save more than six
million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually," he said.
"This is the same as taking over one million cars off the road and will have
capacity to power approximately 800,000 houses."