Lacour Energy Submits Federal Environmental Review for 4,000 MWh Wind-Storage Project in Australia

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 13, West Arthur Energy, a project company under Western Australian developer Lacour Energy, submitted the West Arthur Wind Farm and Battery Energy Storage System project for review under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). The project is located in the Shire of West Arthur, Western Australia, approximately 3 kilometers south of the town of Darkan and about 40 kilometers east of Collie. It is planned to include up to 92 wind turbines and a 500 MW/4,000 MWh battery energy storage system with a storage duration of 8 hours.

The wind component is proposed to use wind turbines with individual capacities of 6–8 MW, a maximum hub height of 164 meters, blade lengths of up to 92 meters, and maximum tip heights of up to 253 meters. The Australian federal government's National Renewable Energy Priority List currently lists the wind farm as a 500 MW project; the final number of turbines, model, and installed capacity remain subject to equipment procurement and approval outcomes. The accompanying battery energy storage system has a rated power of up to 500 MW and an energy capacity of up to 4,000 MWh, or 4 GWh, enabling continuous discharge at rated power for approximately 8 hours.

Associated project infrastructure includes turbine foundations and crane hardstands, internal access roads, a substation, operation and maintenance facilities, collector lines, and transmission lines. The onsite distribution system will use a 33 kV voltage level, and approximately 15 kilometers of double-circuit 330 kV overhead transmission line are planned to connect to the Codering terminal substation planned by Western Australian electricity company Western Power, ultimately connecting to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). This grid connection scheme will utilize the Clean Energy Link-East transmission project currently under development to provide transmission capacity for new wind and storage projects in Collie and surrounding areas.

According to the project's environmental assessment documents, the total development footprint is approximately 10,996.76 hectares, with an actual construction disturbance area of approximately 564.75 hectares. The construction area consists primarily of previously developed agricultural land, with no more than 5.67 hectares of native vegetation planned for clearing, plus approximately 0.61 hectares of scattered farmland trees. Environmental surveys also identified potential habitat and foraging areas for the protected black cockatoo; the scheme will control ecological impacts through adjusting turbine layout, limiting vegetation clearing, and implementing an adaptive management plan for birds and bats.

The project was submitted to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for review on October 15, 2026, and completed a seven-day state-level public comment period from October 26 to November 1. The latest progress disclosed on November 13 shows that the project has further entered the federal EPBC Act referral process. The federal review will focus on determining whether the project is likely to have a significant impact on protected species, ecological communities, and other matters of national environmental significance. Federal environmental approval has not yet been obtained.

Project application documents estimate a construction period of 2–3 years and an operational period of approximately 60 years, with the developer's estimated commencement date being July 2027. The project has been included on Australia's National Renewable Energy Priority List, though this list only provides approval coordination support.