Jump to content

Wind power in Australia: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→‎Major wind power companies: ordering alphabetically
Line 1,178: Line 1,178:


Landscape and heritage issues may be a significant issue for certain wind farms. However, when appropriate planning procedures are followed, the heritage and landscape risks should be minimal. Some people may still object to wind farms, perhaps on the grounds of aesthetics, but their concerns should be weighed against the need to address the threats posed by climate change and the opinions of the broader community.[http://www.tai.org.au/documents/dp_fulltext/DP91.pdf]
Landscape and heritage issues may be a significant issue for certain wind farms. However, when appropriate planning procedures are followed, the heritage and landscape risks should be minimal. Some people may still object to wind farms, perhaps on the grounds of aesthetics, but their concerns should be weighed against the need to address the threats posed by climate change and the opinions of the broader community.[http://www.tai.org.au/documents/dp_fulltext/DP91.pdf]

Overseas experience has shown that community consultation and direct involvement of the general public in wind farm projects has helped to increase community approval.<ref>[http://www.scandinavica.com/culture/nature/wind.htm The world's leader in Wind Power]</ref>


== Major wind power companies==
== Major wind power companies==

Revision as of 05:48, 19 April 2007

Wind power in Australia is clean and renewable and a typical wind turbine can meet the energy needs of up to 1000 homes. The technology is proven, fast to build and economical compared with other renewable energy technologies.[1] In 2006, there were 27 wind farms operating in Australia.

Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita in the developed world[2] [3] and wind power is well placed to grow and deliver greenhouse gas emission cuts on a cost competitive basis. A typical 50 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Australia can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 65,000 and 115,000 tonnes a year.[4]

Overview

The information centre near the base of one of the towers at Wattle Point Wind Farm

Australia has excellent wind resources by world standards. The southern coastline lies in the roaring forties and hundreds of sites have average wind speeds above 8 or even 9 m/sec at 50 m above ground (hub height of a modern wind generator). Southwest Western Australia, southeast South Australia, western Victoria, northern Tasmania and elevated areas of New South Wales and Queensland all have very good wind resources. Several states engaged in systematic wind speed monitoring in the 1980s and 1990s, the results of which are publicly available.[5]

At the end of 2006, Australia had installed electricity generation capacity from wind power of 817 MW[6] and nationally wind farms contributed about 1% of total electricity production. In the state of South Australia, this figure was much higher at 9.2% (2005). Australian wind farms produce on average capacity factors of 30-35%, making wind an attractive option in the country.[1]

In 2006, there were 27 wind farms operating in Australia. Some of the largest wind farms in Australia are:

  1. Wattle Point (SA) - 90.75MW
  2. Alinta/Walkaway (WA) - 90MW
  3. Lake Bonney Stage 1 (SA) - 80.5MW
  4. Cathedral Rocks (SA) - 66MW

Australia's first commercial wind farm, Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm near Esperance in Western Australia, has been operating since 1993.

Installed and proposed capacity by state

The installed and proposed wind generating capacity in Australia by state and territory is:[2]

State Installed Wind Capacity (MW) Proposed Wind Generating Capacity (MW)
NSW 17 1,193
Vic 134 2,010
Qld 12 176
SA 388 1,986
WA 199 243
Tas 67 555
ACT 0 0
NT 0 0
Australia 817 6,163

Wind Farm projects and status by state

New South Wales

State Project Name Sponsoring
Company 		Coordinates Capacity Status Notes
NSW Kooragang Island, Newcastle Energy Australia 32°52′38.94″S 151°44′54.95″E / 32.8774833°S 151.7485972°E / -32.8774833; 151.7485972 0.6 MW Installed
NSW Crookwell Eraring Energy 4.8 MW Installed
NSW Blayney Wind Farm Eraring Energy 9.9 MW Installed
NSW Hampton Wind Park Wind Corporation Australia 1.32 MW Installed
NSW Black Springs Wind Corporation 40 MW Feasibility
NSW Cooma Pacific Hydro 100 MW Feasibility
NSW Crookwell II TME/ Gamesa 92 MW Planning Approved
NSW Southern Highlands ANZ Infrastructure Services 30 MW Project Suspended
NSW Lord Howe Island 0.3 MW Feasibility
NSW Spring Hill ACTEW AGL 10 MW Feasibility
NSW Murrurundi GHG & GREP 35 MW Feasibility
NSW Rock Flat Creek Pacific Hydro 100 MW Feasibility
NSW Woodlawn / Tarago Collex/ Acciona Energy/ ActewAGL/ ANZ Inf.Services 50 MW Project Suspended
NSW Molonglo Acciona Energy 120 MW Feasibility
NSW Snowy Plains (Berridale) Taurus Energy Pty Ltd 26 MW Planning Approved
NSW Taralga RES Southern Cross 105 MW Planning Approved
NSW Gunning Delta Energy 62 MW Planning Approved
NSW Ben Lomond Guyla Energreen Winds 106 MW Seeking Approval
NSW Liverpool Range Macquarie Generation 6.6 MW Seeking Approval
NSW Paling Yards Gamesa/TME 90 MW Feasibility
NSW Conroys Gap Yass Taurus Energy 30 MW Seeking Approval
NSW Cullerin Range Gunning Taurus Energy 30 MW Seeking Approval
NSW Evandale Goulburn Taurus Energy 30 MW Project Suspended
NSW Capital Bungendore Renewable Power Ventures 126 MW Seeking Approval
NSW Bannister Marubeni Corporation 30 MW Proposed
NSW Crookwell Wind Farm ANZ Infrastructure Services Ltd 30 MW Proposed
NSW Goulburn District ActewAGL 10 MW Proposed
NSW Gurrundah Marubeni Corporation 35 MW Proposed
NSW Mount Spring ActewAGL 10 MW Proposed

Victoria

State Project Name Sponsoring
Company 		Coordinates Capacity Status Notes
Vic Breamlea Barwon Water 60kW Installed
Vic Aurora(Brunswick) Citipower 10kW Installed
Vic Codrington Wind Farm Pacific Hydro 18.2MW Installed
Vic Toora Stanwell 1.75MW Installed
Vic Challicum Hills Wind Farm Pacific Hydro 52.5MW Installed
Vic Wonthaggi Wind Farm Wind Power Pty Ltd 2MW Installed
Vic Yambuk Pacific Hydro 30 MW Installed
Vic Bald Hills Wind Power Pty Ltd 109MW Planning Approved
Vic Portland Wind Project[7] Pacific Hydro 195 MW Under Tender
Vic Dollar AGL 80MW Project Suspended
Vic Rosedale Pacific Hydro 50 Feasibility
Vic Waubra Acciona Energy/ ANZ Infrastructure Services 192MW Under Construction
Vic Yaloak Pacific Hydro 105MW Feasibility
Vic Macarthur AGL 329MW Planning Approved
Vic Lake Gillear/ Logans Beach Skygen/CLP 40MW Abandoned
Vic Crowlands/ Glenlofty Pacific Hydro 140MW Feasibility
Vic Science Works/ Spotswood Science Works/ Future Energy Pty Ltd 2MW Feasibility
Vic Woorndoo Sustainable Energy Australia & NewEN Australia 26MW Feasibility
Vic Baynton Stanwell Corporation Ltd and WindLab Systems 50MW Feasibility
Vic Naroghid Wind Farm Developments 30MW Planning Approved
Vic Korumburra Wind Power Pty Ltd 12MW Feasibility
Vic Mount Gellibrand ProVentum 232 MW Planning Approved
Vic Breamlea/Black Rock Future Energy (Community owned) 2 MW Feasibility
Vic Welshpool AGL 18 MW Feasibility
Vic Portland Wind Power Pty Ltd 17.5 MW Feasibility
Vic Yarram Wind Farm Synergy Wind 18MW Feasibility
Vic Sidonia Hills Hydro Tasmania 120MW Feasibility
Vic Newfield Acciona Energy 22.5MW Seeking Approval
Vic Berrimal Acciona Energy 18MW Seeking Approval
Vic Leonard's Hill Hepburn Renewable Energy Association 4MW Seeking Approval
Vic Ballan Pacific Hydro 90 MW proposed
Vic Cape Bridgewater Pacific Hydro 51 MW Proposed
Vic Cape Bridgewater and Cape Nelson Energy Equity Corp 18 MW Proposed
Vic Cape Nelson Primergy Ltd & Wind Propect Pty Ltd 15 MW Proposed
Vic Cape Nelson Pacific Hydro 66 MW Proposed
Vic Cape Sir William Grant Pacific Hydro 12 MW Proposed
Vic Dean Wind Power Pty Ltd 20 MW Proposed
Vic Nirranda Stanwell Corporation 50 MW Proposed
Vic Nirranda South Wind Farm Developments/Meridian Energy 50 MW Proposed
Vic Point Lonsdale-Marcus Hill Wind Power Pty Ltd 5 MW Proposed
Vic Pyreness Wind Power Pty Ltd 200 MW Proposed
Vic Wonthaggi Wind Farm Wind Power Pty Ltd 10.5 MW Proposed

Queensland

State Project Name Sponsoring
Company 		Coordinates Capacity Status Notes
Qld Coconut Island (decommissioned) Ergon Energy 0.01MW Installed
Qld Thursday Island Ergon Energy 0.45MW Installed
Qld Windy Hill Wind Farm Stanwell 12MW Installed
Qld High Road Stanwell Corporation 40MW Feasibility
Qld Windy Hill Wind Farm Stage 2 Stanwell Corporation 12MW Feasibility
Qld Crows Nest Energreen 124MW Planning Approved
Qld Coowonga Earth Energy 0.02MW Feasibility
Qld North Stradbroke Island Stanwell Corporation 15MW Proposed
Qld Crediton Stanwell Corporation 30MW Proposed

South Australia

See: Wind power in South Australia
State Project Name Sponsoring
Company 		Coordinates Capacity Status Notes
SA Coober Pedy 0.15 MW Installed
SA Starfish Hill Wind Farm Tarong Energy 34.5 MW Installed
SA Canunda Wind Farm International Power/ Wind Prospect 46 MW Installed
SA Lake Bonney Stage 1 Babcock & Brown National Power 80.5 MW Installed
SA Wattle Point Wind Farm AGL & Wind Farm Developments 90.75 MW Installed
SA Mount Millar Wind Farm Tarong Energy 70 MW Installed
SA Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm Hydro Tasmania & Acciona Energy 66 MW Installed
SA Barunga Wind Prospect 170 MW Construction commenced 10/04/07 [8]
SA Clements Gap Pacific Hydro 58 MW Planning Approved
SA Elliston Stage 1 (Tungketta Hill) Ausker Energies & ANZ Infra Sevices 55 MW Planning Approved
SA Green Point Wind Prospect Novera Energy 44 MW Planning Approved
SA Hallett AGL 95 MW Under Construction
SA Kongorong Stanwell Corporation 30 MW Feasibility
SA Lake Bonney Wind Farm (stage 2) Babcock & Brown National Power 159 MW Under Construction
SA Lake George Babcock & Brown National Power 120 MW Feasibility
SA Lake Hamilton/Sheringa Hydro Tasmania 110 MW Feasibility
SA Mount Benson Babcock & Brown National Power 130 MW Feasibility
SA Myponga/Sellicks Hill TrustPower 35 MW Planning Approved
SA Shea Oak Flat Pacific Hydro 59 MW Planning Approved
SA Snowtown Trust Power 90 MW Planning Approved
SA Troubridge Point Wind Prospect 25 MW Planning Approved
SA Collaby Hill Wind Farm Developments 120 MW Feasibility
SA Uley Babcock & Brown & National Power 160 MW Feasibility
SA Sheringa Beach Ausker Energies 100 MW Feasibility
SA Waterloo Roaring 40s 117 MW Project Suspended
SA Elliston Stage 2 Ausker Energies & ANZ Infra Sevices 65 MW Planning Approved
SA Barn Hill (Red Hill) Stanwell Corp 120 MW Feasibility
SA Lincoln Gap Wind Energy Solutions 123.9 MW Planning Approved
SA Eaglehawk Origin Energy 20 MW Proposed
SA Eyre Peninsula Babcock & Brown 100 MW Proposed
SA Kemmiss Hill Origin Energy 30 MW Proposed
SA Loch Well Beach Ausker Energy 54 MW Proposed
SA Mount Millar Tarong Energy 60 MW Proposed
SA Tungketta Hill Ausker Energies Pty Ltd 49.5 MW Proposed
SA Vincent North Pacific Hydro 59.4 MW Proposed
SA Waitpinga Waitpinga Wind Farm & Wind Farm Developments 50 MW Proposed
SA Weymouth Hill Meridian Energy/Wind Farm Developments 20 MW Proposed
SA Woakwine Beacon Energy 100 MW Proposed
SA Woakwine Range Wind Prospect Pry Ltd 52.5 MW Proposed
SA Yabmana Primergy and Wind Prospect P/L 55 MW Proposed

Western Australia

State Project Name Sponsoring
Company 		Coordinates Capacity Status Notes
WA Albany Wind Farm Verve Energy 21 MW Installed
WA Alinta Wind Farm near Geraldton Alinta 90 MW Installed
WA Ten Mile Lagoon 2.03 MW Installed
WA Nine Mile Beach 3.6 MW Installed

Tasmania, ACT, NT

State Project Name Sponsoring
Company 		Coordinates Capacity Status Notes
Tas Woolnorth Wind Farm 64.75 MW
ACT
NT

Wind turbine efficiency

Typical wind power coefficient

The efficiency of a wind turbine is defined as the proportion of electrical energy that is derived from the kinetic energy available in the prevailing wind. In theory, a 100% efficiency would imply that all of the wind energy is converted to electrical energy, leaving still air on the lee side of the turbine. In practice, this is neither desirable nor achievable. The maximum theoretical mechanical efficiency of 59% is known as the Betz limit. [9]

The horizontal axis turbines of the type commonly used in Australia exhibit varying efficiencies levels at different wind speeds. The maximum efficiency can approach 50%, but the average efficiency over a range of wind speeds is usually closer to 20%.[10][11] Turbines are usually optimised to enable maximum efficiency at a pre-determined wind speed in order to maximise the maximum energy over a long period. This needs to take into account that the available power is proportional to the cube of the wind speed - in other words, a doubling a wind speed increases the available energy eight-fold.

Competitiveness of wind power

Making comparisons between wind and other sources of energy can be difficult because of the cost profiles associated with wind developments. The vast majority of the costs associated with wind developments are upfront capital costs. The operating costs are relatively low, with each additional unit of wind power costing very little to produce. By comparison, conventional gas and coal developments have large capital costs, as well as significant operating costs. The difference in cost profiles creates difficulties when trying to compare the cost of alternative energy sources.[3]

Despite these complexities, most of the data indicate that wind energy is one of the most cost efficient sources of renewable energy and that when the costs associated with pollution are factored in it is competitive with coal- and gas-fired power stations.[4]

Environmental impact

Wind power is one of the most environmentally friendly sources of renewable energy

Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita in the developed world.[12][13] It is one of the major exporters of coal, the burning of which causes CO2. It is also one of the countries most at risk from climate change according to the Stern report. This is partially because of the size of its agriculture sector and long coastline.

A wind farm, when installed on agricultural land, has one of the lowest environmental impacts of all energy sources:[5]

  • It occupies less land area per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated than any other energy conversion system, apart from rooftop solar energy, and is compatible with grazing and crops.
  • It generates the energy used in its construction in just 3 months of operation, yet its operational lifetime is 20-25 years.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution produced by its construction are very tiny and declining. There are no emissions or pollution produced by its operation.
  • In substituting for base-load (mostly coal power) in mainland Australia, wind power produces a net decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and a net increase in biodiversity.
  • Modern wind turbines are almost silent and rotate so slowly (in terms of revolutions per minute) that they are rarely a hazard to birds.[6]

Landscape and heritage issues may be a significant issue for certain wind farms. However, when appropriate planning procedures are followed, the heritage and landscape risks should be minimal. Some people may still object to wind farms, perhaps on the grounds of aesthetics, but their concerns should be weighed against the need to address the threats posed by climate change and the opinions of the broader community.[7]

Overseas experience has shown that community consultation and direct involvement of the general public in wind farm projects has helped to increase community approval.[14]

Major wind power companies

Pacific Hydro

Pacific Hydro is an Australian company that specialises in electricity generation using renewable energy. Its focus is on hydroelectricity and windpower. Wind power stations owned by Pacific Hydro include:

Suzlon

Suzlon Energy Australia Pty. Ltd. (SEA), is based in Melbourne, and is a subsidiary of Suzlon Energy A/S of Aarhus, Denmark. Suzlon will install 45 units of its S88 – 2.1 megawatt wind turbines for AGL at the Hallett Wind Farm to be located on the Brown Hill Range, which is situated approximately 220 kilometers north of Adelaide.[8]

Wind Prospect

In March 2005 the 46MW Canunda Wind Farm in South Australia, developed by Wind Prospect, was commissioned. A second South Australian wind farm, Mt Millar Wind Farm, was commissioned in January 2006 and this provides a further 70MW of generation. More recently, a third wind farm has reached financial close for Wind Prospect in South Australia. This is the 95MW Hallett Wind Farm which is expected to be fully commissioned late in 2008.

In Australia, Wind Prospect has more megawatts of capacity approved by local councils than any other developer in the country. In all, nine wind farms totalling over 700 MW have planning approval.

See also

References

  1. ^ National code for wind farms
  2. ^ Global Warming: The Facts
  3. ^ Australia tops greenhouse pollution index
  4. ^ National code for wind farms
  5. ^ A.W. Blakers,. "Solar and Wind Electricity in Australia" (PDF). Australian Journal of Environmental Management, Vol 7, pp 223-236, 2000. Retrieved 2007-03-23.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  6. ^ "Global wind energy markets continue to boom – 2006 another record year" (PDF). Global Wind Energy Council. 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2007-02-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Portland Wind Project". Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  8. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1893076.htm
  9. ^ "Wind Energy Manual". Iowa Energy Center. Retrieved 2007-03-23.
  10. ^ "Power Coefficient". Danish Wind Industry Association. Retrieved 2007-03-23.
  11. ^ . Sustainability Victoria http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/SV_Wind_Energy.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-23. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Text "Wind Energy: The myths and facts" ignored (help)
  12. ^ Australia tops greenhouse pollution index
  13. ^ Global Warming: The Facts
  14. ^ The world's leader in Wind Power

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wind_power_in_Australia&oldid=124015868"