• Neoen has launched the construction of Goyder North Wind Farm Stage 1 (346 MW) located in the Mid North region of South Australia
• Notices to proceed have been provided to Vestas for the wind farm, and to Downer for the connection and transmission infrastructure
• The project is underpinned by a 100 MW renewable energy baseload agreement with BHP to power its South Australian mines

Neoen, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, has launched construction of its 346 MW Goyder North Wind Farm Stage 1 in South Australia (SA).

Goyder North Wind Farm is located on the lands of the Ngadjuri Nation near the town of Burra in SA’s Mid North Region. The project received SA Government approval in 2024 and will connect into ElectraNet’s existing Bundey Substation. Vestas will install 48 V172-7.2 MW wind turbines on the site, while Downer will design and construct the associated connection and transmission infrastructure. The wind farm is expected to generate 1.3 TWh of renewable energy annually once operational in 2029, enough to boost wind generation in South Australia by approximately 10%.

Stage 1 of Goyder North Wind Farm is underpinned by a 100 MW renewable energy baseload agreement with BHP to power its Olympic Dam, Carrapateena and Prominent Hill mines in South Australia, one of the world’s most significant basins for copper production. This 24/7 supply solution combines output from the wind farm with storage from Goyder Battery (454 MW / 1,814 MWh), supported by Neoen’s advanced energy management expertise. It builds on Neoen’s first baseload contract with BHP of 70 MW, which started in July 2025 and is being delivered by Goyder South Stage 1 Wind Farm (412 MW) and Blyth Battery (238 MW / 477 MWh). 

Goyder North Wind Farm joins Goyder South Wind Farm and Goyder Battery as part of Neoen’s flagship Goyder Renewables Zone, a hybrid renewables hub which now consists of 1.2 GW of total capacity. Together, the two wind farms are expected to generate approximately 2.5 TWh of clean energy annually, enough to power more than 500,000 homes and contribute a fifth of South Australia’s annual electricity needs.

Goyder North Stage 1 is expected to create around 500 jobs during construction and more than 10 permanent roles during operations. This takes the total employment figures for Goyder Renewables Zone past 1,000 across a seven-year rolling construction period, with 30 permanent operational roles.

The new wind farm will provide additional funds into Neoen’s existing community benefit-sharing program for the region. Building on the company’s industry-first environmental initiative at Goyder South, which unlocked the creation of a new national park at Worlds End Gorge, Goyder North has a commitment to protect a further 1,300 hectares of land in partnership with the Ngadjuri Nation.

Jean-Christophe Cheylus, Neoen’s Regional CEO for Australia Pacific, said: “The start of construction at Goyder North is another major milestone for our flagship Goyder Renewables Zone and reflects the strength of the partnerships we have built across the region over the past decade. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to our host landowners, the Ngadjuri Nation, the Regional Council of Goyder and to BHP for their ongoing trust and support. Goyder North is set to make a significant contribution to South Australia’s energy transition, creating hundreds of jobs and delivering lasting benefits for the Goyder community.”

The Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP, South Australia’s Minister for Energy and Mining, commented: “This next stage of the Goyder Renewables Zone is another vote of confidence in South Australia’s economy and clean energy future. Neoen’s partnership with BHP brings together two of our state’s great strengths: world-class renewable energy and abundant copper resources, helping secure investment, support jobs and supply the minerals needed for the global energy transition.”

Xavier Barbaro, Neoen’s Group CEO, concluded: “I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate the team on the launch of Goyder North, our second wind farm to go into construction in Australia this year. South Australia is leading the world in its progress towards 100% net renewables, and we are proud to be playing a central role in accelerating this transition.”