Queensland's Premier has defended the approval of large-scale wind farms that border World Heritage-listed rainforest in Far North Queensland.
Annastacia Palaszczuk was in the region on Tuesday to visit the French-owned Kaban Green Power Hub — a 28-turbine wind farm spread across 1,300 hectares on the picturesque Atherton Tablelands, west of Cairns.
It is the first of a series of wind farms slated for the area, several of which border World Heritage listed-rainforest.
Speaking at the base of one of the 226-metre-high turbines at the Kaban project, Ms Palaszczuk said the region was a "great spot for renewable energy", despite opposition from some members of the community due to its impact on the environment.
"The world is transitioning and Queensland is transitioning and we need more renewable energy," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"There are going to be trees that are planted as compensation for that [clearing].
"We have to build these wind farms [and] the approvals have to go through state and federal government processes."
More farms on the cards
The $373 million Kaban Green Power Hub was officially connected to the electricity grid on Tuesday.
More than half of the turbines are now operational, with the rest to be connected next year.
Eventually they will power 100,000 homes.
The proposed Chalumbin Wind Farm, not far from the Kaban project, is to be located on two pastoral properties near Tully Falls National Park, which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area.
The South-Korean owned wind farm is before the federal government for consideration following approval by the Queensland government.
About 1,200ha would be cleared to make way for 94 wind turbines.
There are also plans to build the Mount Fox and Upper Burdekin wind farms, inland from Ingham.
'We need those forests'
Federal Kennedy MP Bob Katter said he had concerns about the farms, particularly the Chalumbin development.
"Every North Queenslander must answer these questions: Do you want your natural wonderland turned into an industrial wasteland?" he said.
Conservationist Steve Nowakowski said he was a supporter of renewable energy but had serious concerns about the location of the wind farms.
He said a review was needed into the Queensland government's planning codes regarding the projects.
"State planning code 23 for wind farms allows for wind farms to be built hard up against World Heritage areas and protected areas and that needs to change," Mr Nowakowski said.
"We need those forests.
"So much of the state has already been degraded and cleared and there's so many other opportunities for renewable [energy infrastructure] rolling out across the state.
"We should leave those forests intact, because it's that reliance in those forest that we need going forward in the advent of climate change."
Last week the Queensland government announced a $65-billion renewable energy plan, that would see clean energy make up 70 per cent of the state's energy supplies by 2032.
