The 288 megawatt (MW) Palmer wind project in South Australia has secured financial close, with the announcement of Vestas V172-7.2 MW turbines designated for the project. These turbines are expected to be the most powerful deployed in Australia. This development represents one of four wind farms to finalize financing in Australia during late 2025.
The Palmer wind project is located approximately 70 kilometers east of Adelaide on agricultural land, which will continue to support grazing activities. This initiative is anticipated to contribute to South Australia's objective of achieving 100 percent "net" renewable energy by the end of 2027.
Prior to Palmer, other projects that reached financial close in the weeks before Christmas 2025 included Tilt's 108 MW Waddi wind project in Western Australia, Aula Energy's 257 MW Carmody Hill project in South Australia, and the SEC's 205 MW Delburn project in Victoria. These deals collectively added approximately 850 MW of new wind capacity to the Australian market.
Vestas confirmed its supply of 40 V172-7.2 MW turbines for the Palmer project after an initial announcement on December 31 regarding an unnamed 288 MW Australian order. These turbines feature a hub height of 126 meters and a 172-meter rotor dimension. Vestas reports that these turbines recover the energy required for their manufacturing in less than seven months and offer a 34-fold return over the project's lifetime.
Anthony Fowler, CEO of Tilt, stated that the project is a significant milestone for the company and benefits South Australia's renewable energy transition. South Australia currently generates around 75 percent of its power from wind and solar. Fowler also noted that local communities and First Nations people are projected to receive over $13 million in community benefits throughout the project's operational period. Project planning, which spans over a decade, has involved modifications such as increasing turbine size to reduce the total number of turbines from 103 to 40, while maintaining energy generation capacity to mitigate environmental and community impacts.
Fowler cited the Palmer location's strong and consistent wind resource, proximity to existing electricity transmission infrastructure, and cleared farmland allowing for co-existence with grazing activities as key advantages.
The Palmer wind project is supported by a Capacity Investment Scheme Agreement with the Commonwealth and a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with AGL. Construction, managed by principal contractor BMD, is scheduled to begin in mid-2026. Turbine deliveries are expected in the first quarter of 2027, with commissioning planned for later in 2027, aligning with the state's renewable energy target.