QAZAQ GREEN. A $5-billion proposal could see a huge wind farm built in outback Queensland, with the capacity to power at least 200,000 homes, reports ABC News.

The announcement by Renewable Energy Partners (REP) details plans for a 5-gigawatt wind farm near Hughenden, 385 kilometres west of Townsville.

REP CEO Luke McDonald said the Queensland government's recent purchase of CopperString 2032 – the largest economic development project in North Queensland, which would connect Mount Isa to the national energy grid via an 840-kilometre transmission line – has created market confidence for a project of this scale.

"Hughenden has a fantastic wind resource and has been on the map for a number of years," he said.

"We've been developing this for the past 12 months but off the back of the state government's commitment to start [CopperString's] construction, we feel confident," he said.

Stage one of the project, called Bogunda Wind Farm, would see a 2-gigawatt wind farm constructed, which would constitute about one-third of the total proposal.

"We're probably two or three years off construction beginning, but the total cost would be $5-billion and could power a fair component of North Queensland.

"The opportunity the electrification of this region brings in terms of the hundreds of jobs during construction and beyond is huge," he said.

Region of opportunity

Hughenden is currently buzzing, with construction on the CopperString 2032 economic development project kicking off in July.

Nearby, the Kennedy Energy Park, which was completed in 2019, is designed to power 35,000 homes — less than a fifth of the proposed Bogunda Wind Farm.

Flinders Shire Council Mayor Kate Peddle said news of the proposed wind farm came as a surprise and she looked forward to finding out more.

Cr Peddle said a major concern would be any impact on infrastructure, but she said recognised the potential economic benefits.

"The water, the sewerage, the impacts on our hospitals, with the benefit there's also a lot of pressure that comes with housing the people that are coming our way," she said.

"These are all conversations we are having with the renewable energy projects that are attempting to come online with CopperString, and that's our role," she said.