The state’s newest and biggest wind farm, at Walkaway south-east of Geraldton, will have its power output monitored around-the-clock online by specialists based in Denmark and California
The state’s newest and biggest wind farm, at Walkaway south-east of Geraldton, will have its power output monitored around-the-clock online by specialists based in Denmark and California.
The American and Danish monitors will be constantly assessing the 54-turbine wind farm’s performance and output.
And in case of an emergency or need for on-the-spot modification, they will call on six maintenance technicians living in Geraldton and nearby Walkaway to make necessary repair and adjustments.
At the official commissioning of the Alinta Wind Farm last week, Premier Geoff Gallop said the $210 million project was more than four times the size of Western Power’s Albany wind farm.
“With a generating capacity of 90 megawatts of power in the South West Inter-connected System – the equivalent of 60,000 homes – it will increase Western Australia’s renewable energy capacity from the current 40 megawatts to 130 megawatts,” Dr Gallop said.
The key to the project gaining the go-ahead is a 20-year power procurement contract with Alinta, which also gave the utility the naming rights to the wind farm that stretches across an area five by 13 kilometres.
The 54 turbines were erected on five Mid-West wheat and cattle farms, with the landholders receiving royalty payments for agreeing to the erection of towers on their property.
The wind farm is a partnership between Alinta and Renewable Power Venture (RPV), an Australian wind farm developer.
RPV includes local firm Carbon Solutions, international investment-banker Babcock & Brown, and National Power Partners, a San Francisco-based power utility.
The turbines, towers and blades were supplied by leading international wind power builders Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Denmark.
Each tower is 78 metres high and supports three 41-metre long blades, with a swing circumference of 82 metres.
Dr Gallop said the Alinta Wind Farm would mean the displacement of 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of removing 80,000 cars from WA’s roads each year.
“It has also meant the creation of 200 construction jobs and six permanent maintenance positions for the Geraldton area,” he said.
“In addition, there has been an injection of $30 million into the local community and increased tourism opportunities with a viewing area and visitors car park incorporated into the Alinta Wind Farm.”
And WA is in line to acquire another wind farm well north of Perth.
Badgingarra, midway between Perth and Geraldton, will be the site of a $180 million 80MW facility to be known as the Emu Downs Wind Farm.
It is being developed by Griffin Energy, a subsidiary of the Perth-based Griffin Group, and Stanwell Corporation, which is owned by the Queensland Government.
The Emu Downs Wind Farm is to be operational by late 2006 and will provide enough ‘green energy’ to power more than 50,000 homes, displacing the emission of 220,000t of carbon dioxide annually.
Emu Downs Wind Farm will feature 48 turbines, six fewer than Alinta’s.
Its electricity will be bought by Western Power for sale to WA customers.
“The project is committed to sourcing labour and services locally where possible, and will create new training opportunities within the Shire of Dandaragan,” Griffin Energy executive general manager of Power Generation Wayne Trumble said.
“The local community will benefit from direct and indirect employment opportunities during the life of the project, and will also enjoy longer-term benefits from new regional tourism opportunities.”
Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems A/S will supply the turbines.
The order consists of delivery, installation and commissioning, a remote control system as well as a two-year service and maintenance agreement.
