The wind farm will produce electricity for approximately 75,000 average sized Victorian households as well as promoting the State as an environmentally friendly eco-power destination. The resulting displacement of greenhouse gas emissions is expected to be equivalent to up to 340,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum. The indicative capital cost of the project is estimated at AUD$214-234m (subject to changes in FX rates), with a significant amount to be spent in Victoria.
- Up to 102MW of wind generating capacity being 15 wind turbine generators of 6.8MW each.
- Up to 353 direct and indirect Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions during the 12-18 month construction period including the flow through multiplier effects.
- Up to 17.6 ongoing direct and indirect FTE positions including the multiplier impacts.
- An estimated AUD$85m contribution to State GDP during construction.
- An estimated AUD$2-3m contribution to State GDP on an annual ongoing basis.
- Total electrical energy output is estimated at 340 GWh pa
- Victoria has 17% of national wind capacity and 20% of all WTG’s in Australia.
The National Picture ……
Australia needs more renewable energy:
- to secure billions of dollars of investment and tens of thousands of jobs for regional and rural Australian communities;
- to protect against the rising cost of generation from fossil fuels;
- to provide supply for retiring plant;
- to help meet its commitments for reducing carbon emissions without buying overseas permits.
New renewable energy is the least expensive form of utility-scale renewable energy generation capable of being rolled out on a large scale. Australia stands to gain some $17 billion of investment and 10,000 jobs from wind energy projects that are currently proposed or approved. Much of this would flow to regional and rural Australia.
New renewable energy can also protect against the expected price increase in the cost of fossil fuels such as coal and gas.
Few Australians until recently appreciated we are now in competition with the rest of the world for gas – and higher demand has already doubled wholesale prices in the last year. While gas power stations are cheaper to build today than new renewables, the cost of renewable energy is coming down fast ……. thanks to advances in technology and larger-scale component production. As gas prices continue to rise into the future, so will the cost of running gas power stations. Meanwhile, the fuel cost of the new renewables is free – and Australia has it in abundance.
