The 20 windmills planned for the 30MW Yambuk Wind Farm should be completed by May 2005 and are expected to generate almost 100 gigawatt hours of clean power per annum. When all 120 windmills of the 195MW Portland Wind Project are commissioned, they will almost double Australia’s wind energy generating capacity.
Danish wind generator manufacturer Vestas has already begun making arrangements to commence building a blade factory in Portland. The factory is on track to be fully operational in time to supply the 100 sets of blades required for stage two of the project at Cape Bridgewater, Cape Nelson and Cape Sir William Grant.
Pacific Hydro managing director Jeff Harding said the Portland Wind Project will also nearly the company’s generation capacity.
“This project will deliver immediate benefits to the Portland community including clean energy and jobs in both construction and manufacturing. Pacific Hydro is proud to be able to deliver on its commitments, and to provide substantial environmental and social benefits, including the abatement of 700,000 tonnes of greenhouse gasses each year. This is critical to fragile coastal areas such as Portland where the impact of global warming is likely to be greatest.
“As a result of this project, Pacific Hydro’s global generation capacity will increase to approximately 425MW,” Harding said.
“The wind power technology is highly successful all over the world. Its environmental benefits are proven, as is the industry’s potential to deliver substantial economic benefits to rural and regional Australia. With Federal Government commitment to match that of the Victorian State Government, wind generators could develop into one of Victoria’s major exports.”
In a paid corporate interview yesterday, Harding said the Portland project was the first part of around 500MW of wind projects the company plans in the next four years in a bid to claim 50% of the Victorian Government’s targeted 1000MW of wind energy generation by 2006.
The project has received the seal of approval from the Federal Government with industry minister Ian Macfarlane using the project’s launch as a reminder of the government’s renewable energy commitments under the new Energy White Paper.
“There’s $634 million on offer to help renewable energy proponents get their projects off the ground, develop methods of storing their power, increase access to the national grid and even to improve wind forecast technology,” said Macfarlane.
