Greenleaf Renewables has welcomed State development approval for the $1 billion Moonlight Range wind farm and battery storage project, 40km west of Rockhampton.

The project will consist of up to 88 wind turbines, covering a project area of about 20,000ha, and is proposed to connect to the existing on-site 275 kV transmission network.

“Whilst there is more work to do on achieving project approvals, we are very pleased with SARA’s (the State Assessment and Referral Agency) decision to approve the Moonlight Range wind farm and BESS project,” Greenleaf director Chris Righetti said.

The company said the project represented a significant milestone for the renewable energy sector, as it was the first wind farm to be approved under the updated version of State Code 23.

The project also requires approval under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Mr Righetti said the approval represented a significant step forward for the project, which would contribute positively to the regional economy and the Queensland Government’s renewable energy targets.

The Moonlight Range wind farm project is being developed under a joint development agreement with Brookfield Renewable.

The project is expected to create at least 300 jobs during construction and up to 10 permanent jobs on site during operation.