Plans to build a wind farm on cropping land in north-western Victoria have cleared a major regulatory hurdle, with WestWind Energy (renewable energy developer) receiving state development approval for its 122-megawatt Normanville Energy Park near Kerang, a project that has been in the works since the company first began monitoring the wind resource in 2019.

A Long Road to Approval

Victoria-based WestWind Energy announced on Monday that it has been approved to develop the Normanville Energy Park on approximately 1,933 hectares of land in Victoria's Gannawarra Shire, situated south-west of Kerang.

The land is mainly used for cereal cropping, and the developer says it has worked with host landholders to ensure existing agricultural activities can continue alongside the project.

WestWind managing director Tobias Geiger said the approval reflects the depth of planning and consultation that has gone into the project over multiple years.

"The state approval of Normanville Energy Park reflects years of careful planning, technical assessment and collaboration to deliver a project that will contribute to Victoria's renewable energy future," Geiger said in a statement.

The project has undergone several years of what WestWind describes as detailed development work, including comprehensive environmental and technical assessments.

The company also engaged with Gannawarra Shire Council, government agencies, and local stakeholders throughout the planning approval process. Geiger acknowledged those contributions directly.

"We would also like to thank our host landholders, Gannawarra Shire Council, government agencies, local stakeholders, and everyone who has contributed throughout the state planning approval process. Their engagement and feedback have helped shape a responsible and well-designed project," he said.

Project Design and Technical Specifications

The Normanville Energy Park will feature up to 17 wind turbines, each with a capacity of up to 8 megawatts. The turbines will have a tip height of 280 metres and are expected to operate for up to 40 years. Connecting the wind farm to the electricity grid will be a 7.2-kilometre underground transmission line running into the Koorangie terminal station.

The project sits within the North West Renewable Energy Zone, a designated area in Victoria intended to facilitate the development of large-scale clean energy infrastructure.

The site is also located southwest of Kerang in a region that will host part of the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West, known as VNI West, a major new transmission project designed to link the two state grids and improve energy transfer across the region.

WestWind has set a target of having the wind farm operational by 2028.

Economic Impacts for the Region

During the construction phase, which is expected to span approximately two years, the project is forecast to attract around 350 million dollars in investment to Victoria and create up to 60 on-site jobs. Once the wind farm moves into its operational phase, it is expected to support two to three ongoing local roles in the region.

Geiger said WestWind looks forward to continuing to work closely with stakeholders to deliver what he described as long-term benefits for the region. "WestWind Energy looks forward to working closely with stakeholders to deliver a project that creates long-term benefits for the region and contributes to Victoria's clean energy future," he said.

The company acknowledged the role of the Victorian government in supporting the delivery of the project. "We recognise the important role the Victorian government continues to play in supporting the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure that will help strengthen Victoria's energy system and support regional communities," Geiger said.

Positioned Within Victoria's Broader Energy Transition

The Normanville approval comes as Victoria continues to build out its renewable energy infrastructure across designated zones, with the North West REZ representing one of several areas earmarked to host large-scale generation projects connected to upgraded or new transmission corridors.

The VNI West interconnector, which will pass through the same general region as Normanville, is a key piece of that broader transmission buildout intended to support the integration of new renewable generation into the grid.

The wind farm's location on predominantly agricultural land in Gannawarra Shire places it among a growing number of projects seeking to co-locate clean energy generation with existing farming operations in regional Victoria, an approach that WestWind says has been central to its engagement with local landholders from the outset of the development process.

With state approval now secured, WestWind will move into the next stages of development as it works toward its 2028 operational target for the Normanville Energy Park.

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