Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has acquired full ownership of the Gawara Baya wind and battery project in North Queensland from Australian developer Windlab, clearing the way for construction of the $1.7 billion development.
The Danish fund manager said on Monday, 31 August 2026, that its Copenhagen Infrastructure V fund had taken a final investment decision and reached financial close after securing financing from a syndicate of 10 banks.
Construction is expected to begin immediately, with the project forecast to be fully operational in 2030.
Gawara Baya, located about 65km south-west of Ingham on Gugu Badhun Country, will combine a 408-megawatt onshore wind farm with a 104MW grid-forming battery energy storage system. The scheme will include 68 wind turbines and is expected to generate enough electricity for up to 240,000 Australian homes.
CIP said the project could prevent about 1.2 million tonnes of carbon emissions from Australia’s energy sector each year. It has secured long-term energy offtake arrangements with Queensland government-owned generator Stanwell and UK-based energy company SmartestEnergy.
The development is also backed by the Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme, which provides revenue support intended to reduce financial risk and encourage investment in new renewable generation and storage.
Gawara Baya project moves into construction
The federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water lists Gawara Baya among the projects selected under the scheme’s dispatchable capacity tender. The project was granted state development approval in August 2023 and federal environmental approval in June 2024.
CIP said the project was expected to inject more than A$200 million into the regional Queensland economy through employment, procurement and local supply chains, while creating up to 500 direct and indirect jobs.
Thomas Wibe Poulsen, a partner at CIP, said the acquisition would allow the fund manager to deploy capital into critical energy infrastructure. Yi-Hua Lu, another CIP partner, said the project would support regional jobs, infrastructure development and Queensland’s future electricity supply.
