Former Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has been appointed chairman of West Coast Renewable Energy (WRE), the company behind the proposed Whaleback Ridge wind farm.
The appointment was confirmed by the WRE board on September 2 and he will commence the chairman role with immediate effect.
Gutwein said he was “very pleased to be appointed to chair the board that will oversee one of Tasmania’s most significant proposed renewable energy developments”.
“This is an important project for Tasmania and I am excited to be involved in WRE’s journey on the West Coast,” he said.
“Whaleback Ridge, if approved, will support the west’s regional communities, create jobs and strengthen the state’s economy.”
Gutwein said he had been “particularly impressed” that WRE had been working alongside West Coast communities to help inform the project’s development.
“I have great confidence in the project and the team that has been assembled to work through the comprehensive State and Commonwealth assessment processes,” he said.
The Whaleback Ridge proposal is located on land between the Granville Harbour wind farm and Zeehan, sitting predominantly within Regional Reserves.
At full potential, the project would generate up to 2,800 megawatts of renewable energy through around 280 wind turbines, with a build footprint covering less than 500 hectares.
It is being assessed through Tasmania’s independent major projects process and the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
WRE is targeting a construction start date in late 2028, subject to both state and federal approvals.
The project was granted major project status in March 2024, with proponents estimating it could create up to 550 permanent jobs and 4,500 jobs during construction.
It has drawn criticism from environmental groups including the Bob Brown Foundation, which has raised concerns about threatened species and described the proposal as “ill-conceived and undercooked”.
WRE recently appointed Stephen Casey as its chief executive officer.
