Squadron Energy has decided not to continue development of its 426 megawatt (MW) Boorolong wind farm near Armidale, ending a project that had sat on hold for two months while the company reviewed its wider development pipeline.
The site, about 15 kilometres north-west of Armidale inside the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), sits alongside Origin Energy’s larger Northern Tablelands wind project to the west. If completed, Boorolong was to take in up to 71 wind turbines with a generating capacity of 426MW, a 150MW, 600 megawatt hour (MWh) battery energy storage system, 22 kilometres of high-voltage transmission lines, and up to three substations.
Squadron, owned by iron ore billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, has been paring back parts of its portfolio in recent months as part of a broad review. Earlier this year it sold a 75 per cent stake in Windlab to Federation Asset Management, another investor founded by Macquarie Group alumni. It also withdrew its Jeremiah wind and battery projects, between Yass and Gundagai, from the NSW planning process.
“Squadron Energy has decided not to continue development of Boorolong Wind Farm, following a review of our development pipeline,” a Squadron spokesperson said.
“We will prioritise delivery of our more advanced projects in our development pipeline, backing the projects with the strongest technical, commercial and community foundations.”
The decision is understood to be the result of several complex factors. Boorolong had not reached the point of submitting an environmental impact statement (EIS), so was not far down the development runway. Community opposition does not appear to have been a significant factor; the small “Batting for Boorolong” opposition group appears to have disbanded in 2024.
“We thank our landowners, neighbours, Armidale Regional Council, Uralla Shire Council and the local community for the time they have generously provided to discuss and provide feedback on the project.”
Origin has confirmed its neighbouring Northern Tablelands wind farm remains an active development. The project received its Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) late last year after lodging a scoping report, and Origin is now developing the EIS. The Origin project involves a wind farm with about 608MW of generating capacity supported by a 1000MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
Unlike most renewable developments, Origin does not have to negotiate with landholders for the Northern Tablelands Wind Farm project. Origin purchased the property ‘Warrane’ in its entirety in 2023 for $31m, leasing the 7586ha beef and sheep property back to pastoral use.
The proximity to the new transmission line to be built as part of the New England REZ is a clear consideration on site selection noted in the Northern Tablelands project’s scoping report. There is little existing transmission infrastructure across the footprint of either project apart from a single 330kV line crossing the northern tip of the Boorolong site. The proposed 500kV line to be built for the REZ is planned to run directly through the area, with its northern hub inside Origin’s footprint.
That makes the Coalition’s policy to abandon the REZ and not build the transmission line, as announced in late June, a difficult factor to ignore for both Boorolong and Northern Tablelands projects, putting this week’s announcement by Squadron at the centre of a political fight.
On Wednesday, 24 June, Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane announced that a Coalition government would effectively abandon the New England REZ by not building the planned 500kV transmission line. At that press conference she falsely claimed that Squadron had pulled out of the New England REZ.
“We have companies like Squadron Energy pulling out already because they’ve identified it’s not feasible,” Ms Sloane said.
The company rejected the claim at the time, and affirmed that this week’s Boorolong decision also does not mark an exit from the region for the company. Squadron remains an active participant in the region’s renewable energy industry through its 270MW Sapphire Wind Farm, between Inverell and Glen Innes, which has been fully operational since November 2018.
“Squadron Energy remains committed to supporting the energy transition in New South Wales,” the spokesperson said.
The NSW Government welcomed the company’s commitment.
“We welcome Squadron Energy’s ongoing commitment to supporting the energy transition in NSW through other projects,” a NSW Government spokesperson said.
“But this marks the first investment victim of the Coalition’s decision to tear up the bipartisan plan for our energy system after more than half a decade of progress.”
“NSW remains the number one state for renewable energy investment. The Opposition needs to stop creating investment insecurity and allow the NSW Government and businesses to get on with the job of keeping the lights on and putting downward pressure on bills.”
Squadron was less keen to give the Opposition credit for their necessarily complex business decision.
“Squadron Energy does not make decisions based on opposition policy.”
Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane was asked for comment but did not respond. Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan was asked for contact but his office advised he is travelling in Yetman and Croppa Creek with limited connectivity.
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