The Gaangalu Nation People are the Traditional Custodians for the Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm Project with deep and continual connection to land, sea, sky, waterways and community.

Listening to and learning from all First Nations people is a cornerstone to the CQP development process. CQP works with First Nations people from the early stages of projects to explore opportunities for genuine partnerships and long-term benefits.

CQP is committed to fully understanding First Nations peoples’ relationship with and use of the land, to minimise any impact on the cultural heritage importance of our proposed site. Wind farms are required to adhere to all legal regulations concerning the preservation of cultural heritage.

For CQP projects we seek to enter into voluntary Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMP) with the respective First Nations groups to identify and mitigate impacts, ensure the project is sustainably developed, and to ensure a cultural legacy remains for future generations.

For the Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm a voluntary CHMP has been signed and registered. We are also negotiating an Indigenous Land Use Agreement, as well as a Partnership and Benefits Agreement with the Gaangalu Nation People.

We design our projects to ensure that wind turbines are generally set back a minimum of 1500m from sensitive land uses, which includes dwellings, short term accommodation, and other community facilities. This meets the Queensland Government guidelines around the siting of wind turbine infrastructure.

For the Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm Project, our analysis indicates there are 72 dwellings within a 5km radius of a wind turbine. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census in 2021, the Rockhampton region’s average number of people per household is 2.5, so we have estimated there are around 200 people living within a 5km radius of the project.

For projects the size of this wind farm it is important that we build and maintain strong, and positive relationships with the neighbours, the community and other stakeholders based on trust, respect, authenticity and openness.

During the development phase of a project, CQP’s approach is to undertake extensive consultation with a wide range of relevant stakeholders in order to address questions from the community, explore issues or feedback, and understand local constraints.

In line with our committment to continuously engage with stakeholders throughout our project’s life a project website, letters, newsletters, information sessions and discussions on a community, group or personal scale are among the many methods by which the project team will communicate with the community and other stakeholders

We will establish a ‘Community Consultative Committee’ (CCC) for our renewable energy projects. A CCC is established prior to construction and comprises community representatives who volunteer to engage regularly with the project team.

The role of this committee is to facilitate structured and productive communication between CQP and the community about the project, encourage community participation in decision making processes and address any concerns the community may have regarding its processes.

We are starting the process to establish the CCC for this project now. Please contact us if you would like to be involved.

The Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm is expected to produce enough emissions free power per year equivalent to:

- Displacing 780,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum, or

- Powering 195,000 homes per annum, or

- Removing 230,000 Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars from the road per annum, or

- Planting 18 million trees per annum.

During operations, wind farms do not require any fuel, let alone polluting fuels. Fossil fuels are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate global warming, putting the health of all living systems at risk.

Fossil fuels also cause acid rain by emitting noxious gases, such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. Acid rain impacts local environments, damaging plants and waterways, as well as disintegrating infrastructure such as roofs and fences.

Item descriptifor an estimated 400 full time equivalent jobs.

During its 25 – 30 year operational lifetime, the project will create around 15 equivalent full-time jobs. Local employment opportunities will be available for a range of services and equipment needed for construction of renewables projects.

We are committed to using local contractors, workers and service providers so that our project delivers economic and social benefits to both the community that will host the wind farm, and to the region. CQP has and will continue to participate in a wide range of industry events to make contractors aware of opportunities in renewable projects.

Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm is wholly owned by Central Queensland Power (CQP), a joint venture (JV) between RES and Energy Estate.

This JV was established to collaboratively develop a portfolio of renewable energy projects in the Central Queensland region. This portfolio approach ensures long term regional growth, accounts for grid complexities and is of adequate scale to replace existing coal and meet the energy needs of industrial users in the region.

RES develop, construct and operate renewable energy assets across the world. Over more than 40 years RES has delivered more than 23 GW of renewable energy projects across the globe and supports an operational asset portfolio exceeding 12 GW worldwide.

Energy Estate is passionately committed to accelerating the diversification and decarbonisation of the energy sector and is proud to be the leading developer and strategic designer of advanced industrial precincts across Australia.

With its partners, Energy Estate is developing large scale renewable energy and green hydrogen projects in Queensland and New South Wales, as well as internationally. CQP has extensive internal expertise to deliver renewable energy projects, however, also relies on reputable and qualified consultants including; Umwelt, AHS, DNV, Lat27, Aviation Projects, Access Traffic Consulting, Marshall Day and LEC Land and Environment Consultants.

CleanCo is a publicly owned energy generator, developer, and retailer, supporting Queensland to transition to clean energy in a sustainable way while driving regional growth and jobs.

CleanCo delivers reliable, affordable, low-emission energy to large commercial and industrial businesses seeking decarbonisation pathways.

CleanCo has agreements with CQP to progress its development of a portfolio of 2.3 GW wind and solar projects in Central Queensland. The agreement is an innovative and market-leading arrangement that allows CleanCo exclusive access to projects currently being matured through to development by CQP.

Under the agreement, CleanCo and CQP will rigorously assess and shortlist projects which deliver the best outcomes for the environment, communities, industry and Queensland’s overall renewable energy transformation.

Projects assessed as having the potential for delivering the best outcomes will be progressed to development phase by CleanCo and CQP under a Project Option Agreement (POA). At the end of development, before construction, CleanCo will decide whether to exercise the option and buy the project from CQP.

CleanCo has a Project Option Agreement with CQP for the Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm project. This means CleanCo will be an active partner as CQP continues to develop Moah Creek Wind Farm.

After the development phase and before construction commences, CleanCo will decide whether to exercise the option to own the project.

Wind farms are typically built and operated by contractors acting for the owner.

For construction, it is common to have two primary construction contractors:

• Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) performing a Supply and Install (S&I) Contract and

• Balance of Plant (BOP) Contractor to be managed by the Principal.

Following construction, an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Contract takes effect.

If CleanCo does not exercise its option to buy the Mount Sugarloaf Wind Farm, CQP will seek another investor, who will also be offered construction and operation management services.