Antinuclear

Australia’s Renewable Energy Target driving new wind farm projects in S.A. and NSW

the first major PPA for new build wind farm for several years that has been driven by the renewable energy target

Wind energy finally taking off again in Australia, REneweconomy, By Sophie Vorrath   2 May 2012 The Australia wind energy industry looks set to end its near three-year hiatus, as Origin Energy signed its largest ever power purchase agreement, Thai group Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding said it would be adding 200 megawatts of wind turbine capacity in Australia (to its existing 100MW) over the next few years, and REpower Australia prepared to launch a scaled-down version of a new wind farm in NSW.

Origin Energy and New Zealand’s TrustPower today announced the signing of the PPA in which Origin Energy will be supplied the renewable energy generated by TrustPower’s planned Snowtown II Wind Farm in South Australia.

Snowtown II Wind Farm, will comprise 90 3MW turbines (supplied by Siemens), with an installed capacity of 270MW, and will be located next to TrustPower’s 100MW Snowtown Wind Farm, with which Origin Energy has an existing power purchase agreement…… The development is significant, because while some wind projects – such as AGL Energy’s Macarthur wind farm in Victoria – have been, or are being, built, these were mostly the result of green energy mandates from desalination plants. The Origin-TrustPower deal signals the first major PPA for new build wind farm for several years that has been driven by the renewable energy target – which will require the number of wind turbines in Australia to increase four-to-five fold over next eight years. The 15-year duration of the PPA is also significant…..

And in NSW, the team behind the Rugby Wind Farm is set to propose a scaled-down 52-turbine version of the project near Boorowa NSW, in response to community feedback and the state’s 2011 draft wind farm guidelines. Chris Judd, managing director of REpower Australia, which is co-developing the project with Windlab Systems, said that although the scaled-down wind farm is around 40 per cent smaller than the initial 90 turbine proposal, it could still deliver significant benefits to the local community.

“If approved by the NSW Government, the Rugby Wind Farm would inject over $95 million into the Rugby and Boorowa regions of NSW over the life of the wind farm,” Judd said. “This includes reliable on-farm income for local landowners who host turbines on their property; income that will flow into the region for the next 25 years.” He said the community would also benefit from over $3.6 million allocated to projects through REpower’s Community Benefits Package over the life of the wind farm, as well as the creation of up to 90 jobs during the wind farm’s construction and then around 12 full-time operational jobs when it is up and running.

REpower says the revised wind farm could still produce enough clean energy to power up to 75,400 homes a year, while also cutting up to 3.4 million tonnes of greenhouse pollution by 2020. It would also contribute to the NSW government’s 20 per cent renewables goal.  http://reneweconomy.com.au/2012/wind-energy-finally-taking-off-again-in-australia-42689

May 2, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | New South Wales, South Australia, wind | South Australia, wind