Renewable Energy Projects
There are numerous state significant renewable energy projects proposed or being developed within the Upper Hunter Shire Local Government Area. The projects are identified on the interactive map below.
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Large-scale renewable energy projects in New South Wales are assessed and determined by the NSW Minister for Planning and the Independent Planning Commission (IPC).
Council does not have the authority to approve or refuse these projects; however, we play an important role in advocating for the Upper Hunter community and ensuring local interests are considered.
Council works to influence how renewable energy projects are planned and delivered by:
- Planning for local impacts and infrastructure needs to help address the impacts of projects on our communities and local infrastructure.
- Advocating for community benefits and long-term funding to help ensure local communities share in the benefits of renewable energy development.
- Providing local feedback and submissions as part of the NSW Government’s planning and assessment processes.
Further information on each renewable energy project can be found below:
Liverpool Range Wind Fam
Project Overview
- Developer: Tilt Renewables
- Location: Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), NSW between the towns of Coolah and Cassilis, approximately 90 kilometres (km) northwest of Muswellbrook and 90 km northeast of Mudgee, in the Warrumbungle and Upper Hunter Shires.
- Capacity: Up to 1,246 MW, designed to power roughly 570,000 homes.
- Turbines: Up to 173 wind turbines
- Status: Approved and in development.
More info
Bowmans Creek Wind Farm
Project Overview
- Developer: Ark Energy
- Location: Approximately 12 km east of Muswellbrook, within the Muswellbrook Shire Council, Singleton Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council areas, inside the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone.
- Stage 1: Involves 54 wind turbines with a generation capacity of 335 MW, alongside a planned battery energy storage system (BESS).
- Stage 2: A separate application/phase intended to add another 21 wind turbines, bringing total generation higher.
- Battery Storage: The Stage 1 BESS includes large-scale capacity (awarded a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement in 2026) designed to store power over multiple hours.
- Status: Approved and in development.
More info
Hills of Gold Wind Farm
Project Overview
- Developer: Owned and managed by Someva Renewables.
- Location: Approximately 5km south of Hanging Rock and 8km south-east of Nundle, spanning the Tamworth Regional, Upper Hunter Shire, and Liverpool Plains Shire local government areas.
- Capacity: 372 MW, designed to power roughly 163,000 Australian homes.
- Turbines: Up to 62 wind turbines.
- Status: Approved and in development.
More info
Glenbawn Pumped Hydro
Project Overview
- Developer: AGL
- Location: Glenbawn Dam, an existing man-made reservoir approximately 15km east of Scone.
- Capacity: Approximately 800 MW of generation capacity with 10 hours of storage (up to 8 GWh).
- Design: Uses the existing Glenbawn Dam as the lower reservoir and requires a new upper reservoir and transmission infrastructure on WaterNSW land.
- Function: Pumps water to the upper reservoir during low demand and releases it through turbines to dispatch electricity into the National Electricity Market (NEM) during peak periods.
- Status: Initial investigation stage.
More info
Upper Hunter Energy Park
Project Overview
- Developer: Maven Renewable Energy Pty Ltd
- Location: Approximately 12 km west of Scone on Mountain Station in Owens Gap.
- Capacity: 75.6 MW wind farm designed to power roughly 27,000 homes annually.
- Turbines: Proposes 18 wind turbines.
- Status: Approved and in development.
More info
Goulburn River Solar Farm
Project Overview
- Developer: Lightsource bp
- Location: Between Wollar and Merriwa, on Wollara Road.
- Capacity: 585 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar farm paired with a 49 MW / 562 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
- Output: Generates about 1.2 million megawatt-hours (MWh) yearly, enough to power roughly 194,000 homes
- Grid Connection: Features a 500/33 kV substation built by Enerven connecting to the local Transgrid network
- Status: Approved and under construction
More info
Upper Hunter Battery Energy Storage System
Project Overview
- Developer: North Harbour Clean Energy
- Location: Campbell Street, Aberdeen within the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone
- Capacity: Up to 400 MW / 800 MWh
- Duration: Up to 2 hours of energy storage
- Power Output: Designed to supply electricity to about 480,000 homes
- Status: Public Exhibition of EIS
More info