Kaban Green Power Hub is an AU$373 million investment designed to generate clean, affordable energy and to strengthen the electricity network in Far North Queensland. The project consists of a 157 MW wind farm located near the town of Ravenshoe in the Atherton Tablelands and a 320 km transmission line upgrade from 132 kV to 275 kV of the North Queensland coastal circuit.
The Queensland Government is committing AU$40 million towards the network upgrade which will support Kaban and establish the North Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). Neoen and Powerlink are partnering to upgrade the line between Cairns and Townsville which will substantially improve the network’s system strength, increasing the energy available to be dispatched from other plants in the region and unlocking up to 180 MW of additional capacity for future projects.
The project is underpinned by a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with CleanCo, Queensland’s publicly owned clean energy company. It will deliver competitively priced electricity, contributing towards Queensland’s target of 50% renewable energy by 2030 and creating new investment and over 250 construction jobs in Far North Queensland.
The project’s excellent wind resource will generate 457 GWh/yr of affordable clean energy, enough to power some 100 000 Queensland homes, more than enough for every home in Cairns. Kaban’s wind generation profile is complementary to the wind generated in the southern regions of the National Electricity Market, contributing to stronger supply during peak periods.
In line with Neoen’s ‘develop to own’ business model, the company will be the long-term owner and operator of the project and is committed to sharing benefits with the surrounding community. An annual Community Benefit Fund will be established to provide opportunities for local community-building initiatives. Neoen is also working closely with the Jirrbal people, Traditional Owners of the land on which the project is located, to deliver a range of employment and community development outcomes.
The Kaban wind project takes Neoen’s portfolio past the 2 GW milestone of assets operating or under construction in Australia. Neoen is the owner and operator of 14 wind, solar and battery storage projects in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. The company, which is active in 15 countries, is targeting 10 GW globally by the end of 2025.
