Green light for $1 billion Qld wind farm

The Queensland government has given the green light to a $1 billion wind farm that will be one of the largest in Australia.

Lacour Energy has been granted development approval for up to 195 wind turbines at Clarke Creek, 150km northwest of Rockhampton.

The project is expected to create about 350 jobs during the three-year construction phase.

Lacour Energy director Mark Rayner says the company is still completing a feasibility study, but he hopes construction can begin early next year.

The farm will produce more than 800 megawatts of electricity to be fed into Powerlink's high voltage transmission network.

Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham says the farm is one of many renewable power projects that will help Queensland achieve its 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.

Lacour has been working with government departments to assess noise impacts from the wind farm, and how the project will affect fauna and vegetation, Dr Lynham said.