Mount Mercer Wind Farm
Encyclopedia
The proposed Mount Mercer Wind Farm will be located at Mount Mercer
approximately 30 kilometres south of Ballarat in Western Victoria
on 2600ha. The wind farm will consist of 64 Enercon
E82 wind turbine
s, giving a total installed capacity of 131 MW. It is expected to generate approximately 395,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity each year which could power approximately 74,000 households and result in a reduction of some 510,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Construction was due to commence in September 2009 under the management of WestWind Energy, however the project changed hands to Meridian Energy
in the middle of 2009. Construction was delayed until the end of 2009 or early 2010 with Meridian Energy
citing the global financial crisis as the cause of the delay in construction. Construction has been further delayed until mid-year 2011, Meridian Energy
cite the reason as re-designing how the Mount Mercer Wind Farm is back hauled to the national grid and thus having to renegotiate easement agreements with local land owners.
A proposed location of the 64 wind turbines has been made available to the public. Local farmers who would have turbines on their land were offered $7000 per turbine per year.
Mount Mercer, Victoria
Mount Mercer is a town in the Western District of the Australian state of Victoria. It is named after a nearby scoria cone with crater. The scoria cone was developed on a broad lava shield and the rim of the cone is asymmetric, being higher around the south and open towards the north. The scoria...
approximately 30 kilometres south of Ballarat in Western Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
on 2600ha. The wind farm will consist of 64 Enercon
Enercon
Enercon GmbH, based in Aurich, Germany, is the fourth-largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world and has been the market leader in Germany since the mid-nineties. Enercon has production facilities in Germany , Sweden, Brazil, India, Canada, Turkey and Portugal...
E82 wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s, giving a total installed capacity of 131 MW. It is expected to generate approximately 395,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity each year which could power approximately 74,000 households and result in a reduction of some 510,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Construction was due to commence in September 2009 under the management of WestWind Energy, however the project changed hands to Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
in the middle of 2009. Construction was delayed until the end of 2009 or early 2010 with Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
citing the global financial crisis as the cause of the delay in construction. Construction has been further delayed until mid-year 2011, Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
cite the reason as re-designing how the Mount Mercer Wind Farm is back hauled to the national grid and thus having to renegotiate easement agreements with local land owners.
A proposed location of the 64 wind turbines has been made available to the public. Local farmers who would have turbines on their land were offered $7000 per turbine per year.