As debate rages over Adani's controversial Queensland coal mine, construction has quietly begun on Australia's largest wind farm project in the same state.
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The first sod was turned on Coopers Gap Wind Farm, 250km northwest of Brisbane, on Wednesday morning.
Due to be completed in 2019, the 453-megawatt wind turbine project will produce 1.5 million MW hours of renewable energy annually, as the Queensland government moves towards a 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.
AGL Energy secured environmental approval for the project last year and it is expected to be developed at a cost of $500 million.
Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said the farm, along with 10 approved solar projects in the region, would have major benefits for Queensland.
"Together, they represent more than 2000 megawatts of renewable energy that will help power Queensland's electricity grid and its regional economies, and help us meet our international emissions reduction commitments," Dr Lynham said.
"Coopers Gap will bring $850 million of investment, 200 construction jobs, and up to 20 ongoing operational jobs to the Western Downs."
The announcement came on the same day Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk followed Bill Shorten's lead in distancing Labor from Adani's $16.5 billion Carmichael coal mine, saying the Indian miner has failed to meet key finance and job creation milestones.
The wind farm is located between Dalby and Kingaroy in the state electorate of Nanango, held by LNP Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington.
Ms Frecklington was not impressed by the extra jobs generated by the project, saying Labor was pursuing renewables at the expense of the mining sector.
"It is obvious that the government is only prepared to support green jobs ahead of other Queenslanders," she told reporters in Brisbane.
