Portland Wind Farm

The Portland wind farm is one of Australia's largest wind farms. Located on the coast of south-western Victoria near the city of Portland, it consists of four separate sites, all of which have been completed as of 2015. Completion of the entire 195 MW project was expected in 2011,[1] at a capital cost of A$330 million.

Portland Wind Farm
Wind farm out of Port Fairy on the Portland Road
Location of Portland Wind Farm in Victoria
CountryAustralia
LocationPortland, Victoria
Coordinates38°21′8.74″S 141°35′14.4″E
StatusOperational
Commission date2010
Construction costA$330 million
Power generation
Units operational98
Make and modelVestas
Nameplate capacity195 MW

The project is expected to produce more than 500 GWh annually, enough electricity to power about 125,000 homes each year, and equal to more than 7% of Victoria’s residential electricity demand, or powering a city the size of Geelong. The project is being developed by Pacific Hydro.[2]

History

The Danish turbine manufacturer, Vestas, constructed a blade manufacturing facility at nearby Portland in August 2005. Blades from the plant were intended to support the project. Blades were ultimately sourced from overseas however, and the plant was closed down in December 2007. Vestas cited too little investment support from the Federal government as the reason for the closure.[3]

The planning minister approved the construction of wind towers on the Portland capes, including Cape Bridgewater, against the recommendations of the a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing and of a government appointed panel.[4]

Stages
  1. Yambuk wind farm, the first stage of the project, consists of 20 turbines, each measuring 105 m (344 ft) tall, with a maximum rated output of 1.5 MW, totalling to a maximum capacity of 30 MW. These were commissioned in January 2007. The wind farm is adjacent to the existing Codrington Wind Farm, and is expected to produce more than 90GWh annually at a capital cost of about 50 million Australian dollars.[5]
  2. Cape Bridgewater wind farm of 58 MW, comprises 29, 2 MW generators. At completion in 2008 it was the largest wind farm in Victoria.[6]
  3. Cape Nelson South wind farm of 44 MW, comprises 22, 2 MW generators. It was completed in 2009.[7]
  4. Cape Sir William Grant wind farm (PWEP IV) of 47 MW, comprises 23, 2.05 MW generators. It was completed in 2015.[8]
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See also

References
  1. Sustainability Victoria: Operating wind generators in Victoria, retrieved 21 April 2011
  2. Pacific Hyro (2007). "Portland Wind Project". Pacific Hyro. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
  3. "Green Energy Market Unviable: Vestas". The Age. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
  4. Baillieu, Ted (20 September 2003). "Don't Ruin our Coast with Wind Farms". The Age. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
  5. PacificHydro: Portland Stage I Archived 18 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 20 April 2011
  6. PacificHydro: Portland Stage II Archived 17 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 20 April 2011
  7. PacificHydro: Portland Stage III Archived 17 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 20 April 2011
  8. PacificHydro: Portland Stage IV Archived 18 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 20 April 2011
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