The proposal is part of a broader plan for the Maribyrnong City Council to become carbon neutral by 2015 and its community by 2020.
Council sustainability manager Gavin Mountjoy told PNN's sister publication EMN the wind turbine would be the first community-owned wind turbine located in a metropolitan area in Australia. Maribyrnong is 5km west of the Melbourne CBD.
A turbine will cost about $3 million and produce 1.5 MW of power, though the council will investigate whether one or two turbines will be built. It is in the early stages of investigating whether the project is financially feasible and is seeking feedback from the community.
The plan would have to involve investor interest from businesses or individuals in the region to go ahead. The council will buy energy credits from the wind farm to power council buildings if the project goes ahead.
The location of the turbine is still being finalised but it is likely to be somewhere adjacent to the West Gate Bridge in the industrial area of Yarraville. Mountjoy said its proximity to homes and its noise and visual impact would have to be considered.
As well as helping to achieve the council's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2015, Mountjoy said the development would promote renewable energy to about 190,000 vehicles that use the bridge daily.
Maribyrnong is not the only council that has investigated the feasibility of a community owned wind farm. Hepburn Shire Council in Victoria decided in February to go ahead with Australia's first community owned wind farm.
Hepburn Shire Cr Warren Maloney told EMN at the time he expected other councils to follow their example, saying many others had expressed interest in the development.
