Wind power in Australia
Encyclopedia
Wind power in Australia is a proven and reliable technology that can be and is readily deployed. As of October 2010, there were 52 wind farm
s in Australia, most of which had turbines of from 1.5 to 3 megawatts (MW). The total operating wind generating capacity at this time was 1,880 MW, with annual production of almost 5,000 GWh providing close to two percent of Australia's national electricity demand. However, despite having excellent conditions for wind power, Australia lags considerably behind leading nations both in terms of wind generation capacity and percentage of power production.
South Australia
had close to half of the nation's wind power
capacity, accounting for almost twenty percent of that state's electricity needs of as October 2010. Victoria also had a substantial system, with about a quarter of the nation's capacity, and projects under construction forecast to more than double that capacity by the end of 2013.
more than 700,000 homes, and amounting to about two percent of Australia's total electricity consumption. This came from 52 operating wind farms with greater than 100 kW capacity, consisting of a total of 1,052 turbines. This figure represented approximately a 30% increase in wind power generation each year over the previous decade, or a total increase of more than 1,000% over that time. The total installed capacity at October 2010 was 1,880 MW (1.88 GW), counting only projects over 100 kW, with a further 1,043 MW under construction.
with 27,215 MW, Spain
with 20,676 MW, and India with 13,066 MW.
In terms of installed capacity per head of population, Australia ranked 18th in the world in 2010, with 0.086 kW per person. This was only around one eighth of world leader Denmark
, who had 0.675 kW per person, while other top countries were Spain with 0.442 kW per person, Portugal
with 0.344 kW per person, and Germany with 0.334 kW per person. The top two countries in terms of total capacity, China and the US, only ranked 27th and 9th in terms of capacity per head, with 0.033 kW per person and 0.128 kW per person respectively.
While Australia produced almost 2% of its electricity from wind power, in comparison to other countries it again lagged well behind world leaders in 2010. Again Denmark topped this list, accounting for approximately 19% of electricity production, with Portugal at 18%, Spain at 16%, and Germany at 9%. Global leaders in terms of total capacity, China and the US, had contributions as a percentage of total electricity supply closer to that of Australia, with 1.2% and 2% respectively.
, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
and the Mandatory Renewable energy Target announced by the Australian Government involve a reduction in Australian greenhouse gas
emissions. Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita in the developed world 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.
Based on the 2010 figures for electricity production of 5 TWh nationally, it is estimated that wind power saved Australia 5,100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in that year. In relative terms, that is calculated to be the equivalent of removing 1,133,000 cars from the nation's roads.
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/s at 50 m above ground (the hub height of a modern wind generator
). The southwest of Western Australia
, southern South Australia
, western Victoria, northern Tasmania
and elevated areas of New South Wales
and Queensland
have good wind resources. Several states engaged in systematic wind speed monitoring in the 1980s and 1990s, the results of which are publicly available. Australian wind farms produce on average capacity factor
s of 30–35%, making wind an attractive option. However, the modelling of how wind generating capacity correlates with electricity demand in terms of daily, seasonal and year-to-year patterns of both, has yet to be conducted.
, completed in 2009, was the largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere, consisting of 128 turbines spread over 173 km2 and rated at 192 MW, however in terms of generating capacity Lake Bonney Wind Farm
near Millicent, South Australia
was the largest with 239.5 MW, despite only having 99 turbines. These figures were set to be surpassed by the Macarthur Wind Farm
at Macarthur, Victoria
, scheduled to open in 2013 with a capacity of 420 MW.
By generating capacity, the ten largest wind farms in Australia were:
Australia's first commercial wind farm, Salmon Beach Wind Farm near Esperance in Western Australia operated for 15 years from 1987, but was decommissioned due to urban encroachment; it has been replaced by Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm and Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm
. In August 2009, The Age
newspaper reported that the first of three new large-scale wind farming projects to offset Australia's power-hungry desalination plants would be going ahead.
For an up-to-date map of the Australian wind energy projects, operating and proposed, download a free copy of the EPi Wind Project Map at www.elementalpower.com.au
The efficiency of a wind turbine
is defined as the proportion of electrical energy that is derived from the kinetic energy
loss in the prevailing wind due to the presence of the turbine. In theory, a 100% efficiency would imply that all of the wind energy that is lost between the windward and leeward side, is converted to electrical energy. In practice, this not achievable due to losses such as mechanical, heat, sound and aerodynamic losses (such as turbulent patches and vortices in the flow structure). The maximum theoretical mechanical efficiency of 59% is known as the Betz limit
.
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% in Europe and has a range of between 30 and 40% in Australia. 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 eightfold.
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.
Australia is the fifth highest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases with 25.8 tonne CO2-e per person annually, ranking first of the industrialized countries, and ranks sixteenth of all countries in total country emissions with 495 Mt CO2-e per annum. It is one of the major exporters of coal
, the burning of which releases CO2 into the atmosphere. 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:
Landscape and heritage issues may be a significant issue for certain wind farms,however these are minimal when compared with the Environmental effects of coal
. 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.
Overseas experience has shown that community consultation and direct involvement of the general public in wind farm projects has helped to increase community approval. Some wind farms become tourist attractions.
Dr Mark Diesendorf
has suggested that the Australian Government has tried to stop the development of wind power, the lowest-cost, new, renewable electricity source, until such time as coal-fired power stations with CO2 capture and sequestration and possibly nuclear power stations are available. However, "clean coal" technologies may not be commercially available for at least 20 years. Furthermore, to bring down the high cost of nuclear power to a level where it could compete with wind power would require a new generation of nuclear power stations that is still on the drawing board, which could take at least 15 years.
In November 2007 the Rudd (Labor) government was elected in Australia, replacing the Howard (Liberal/National Coalition) government. The new government ratified Australia's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, promised a target of 20% renewable power by 2020 and to do more to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, several new wind power projects have been proposed in anticipation of an expanded MRET.
In July 2011 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
4 Corners program explored health concerns connected with Australian wind farms in its "Against the Wind" report.
. Its focus is on windpower development in NSW, with major projects developed or proposed by Epuron including:
is the largest electricity generator in New Zealand
and has in recent years expanded into Australia. It uses only renewable energy
generation sources, and its Australian operations are currently focused on windpower. Projects completed or currently being developed include:
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:
is based in Tasmania and has two wind farms operating in Australia: Woolnorth Wind Farm
in Tasmania and Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm in South Australia. It is currently (as of December 2009) constructing the 117MW Waterloo Wind Farm
in the Mid North of South Australia
.
, India
. 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.
is a renewable electricity generating company operating in Australia and New Zealand. Wind farms in Australia include Snowtown
and the proposed Myponga
, both in South Australia.
undertakes all aspects of wind energy development, including design, construction, operation and commercial services, with offices in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and China. With over 18 years of successful development within the industry, the Wind Prospect Group has been involved in over 2,500MW of approved wind farms, including onshore and offshore projects, in terms of development, construction, operations and commercial services, and has a further 4000MW in the early phase of development. The company’s civil, electrical and mechanical engineers have been involved in the commissioning of over 50 wind farms around the world.
Wind Prospect’s development offices in Australia are in Adelaide, Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. Wind Prospect Pty Ltd (WPPL) is the most successful developer in Australia, having achieved planning approval for 10 wind farms totalling over 860 MW, of which 565MW is operating or under construction.
Two recent successes in South Australia are the North Brown Hill Wind Farm (132.3MW) and The Bluff Range Wind Farm (52.1MW), both approximately 270 km north east of Adelaide, which are Wind Prospect’s sixth and seventh wind farm developments respectively to progress to construction in South Australia. More projects in this region have received planning approval and are expected to proceed to construction.
(206MW). Windlab has since become a full wind farm developer and takes projects to the point of construction.
)
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
s in Australia, most of which had turbines of from 1.5 to 3 megawatts (MW). The total operating wind generating capacity at this time was 1,880 MW, with annual production of almost 5,000 GWh providing close to two percent of Australia's national electricity demand. However, despite having excellent conditions for wind power, Australia lags considerably behind leading nations both in terms of wind generation capacity and percentage of power production.
South Australia
Wind power in South Australia
Wind power in South Australia is a significant energy source for the state and South Australia is well suited to wind farms due to its proximity to the Roaring forties....
had close to half of the nation's wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
capacity, accounting for almost twenty percent of that state's electricity needs of as October 2010. Victoria also had a substantial system, with about a quarter of the nation's capacity, and projects under construction forecast to more than double that capacity by the end of 2013.
Overview
As of October 2010, wind power accounted for approximately 5 TWh out of a total of 251 TWh of electricity used per year, enough electricity to powermore than 700,000 homes, and amounting to about two percent of Australia's total electricity consumption. This came from 52 operating wind farms with greater than 100 kW capacity, consisting of a total of 1,052 turbines. This figure represented approximately a 30% increase in wind power generation each year over the previous decade, or a total increase of more than 1,000% over that time. The total installed capacity at October 2010 was 1,880 MW (1.88 GW), counting only projects over 100 kW, with a further 1,043 MW under construction.
International comparisons
Australia's total wind generation capacity of 1,880 MW in 2010 was considerably lower in comparison to many other developed and developing nations, ranking 15th globally behind leaders such as China with 44,733 MW, the US with 40,180 MW, GermanyWind power in Germany
In 2010, the installed capacity of wind power in Germany was 27.2 GW. Wind power currently produces about seven percent of Germany’s total electrical power. More than 21,607 wind turbines are located in the German federal area and the country has plans to build more wind turbines...
with 27,215 MW, Spain
Wind power in Spain
Spain is the world's fourth biggest producer of wind power, after China, the United States and Germany, with an installed capacity of 19,959 megawatts at the end of 2010, a rise of 1,609 MW for the year...
with 20,676 MW, and India with 13,066 MW.
In terms of installed capacity per head of population, Australia ranked 18th in the world in 2010, with 0.086 kW per person. This was only around one eighth of world leader Denmark
Wind power in Denmark
Wind power provided 18.9% of electricity production and 24.1% of generation capacity in Denmark in 2008, Denmark was a pioneer in developing commercial wind power during the 1970s, and today almost half of the wind turbines around the world are produced by Danish manufacturers such as Vestas and...
, who had 0.675 kW per person, while other top countries were Spain with 0.442 kW per person, Portugal
Wind power in Portugal
In December 2010, there was 3,937 MW of wind power nameplate capacity installed in Portugal. The major wind turbine manufacturers in the Portuguese market are Enercon, Vestas and Gamesa...
with 0.344 kW per person, and Germany with 0.334 kW per person. The top two countries in terms of total capacity, China and the US, only ranked 27th and 9th in terms of capacity per head, with 0.033 kW per person and 0.128 kW per person respectively.
While Australia produced almost 2% of its electricity from wind power, in comparison to other countries it again lagged well behind world leaders in 2010. Again Denmark topped this list, accounting for approximately 19% of electricity production, with Portugal at 18%, Spain at 16%, and Germany at 9%. Global leaders in terms of total capacity, China and the US, had contributions as a percentage of total electricity supply closer to that of Australia, with 1.2% and 2% respectively.
Environmental importance
The Garnaut Climate Change ReviewGarnaut Climate Change Review
The Garnaut Climate Change Review was a study by Professor Ross Garnaut, commissioned by then Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd and by the Australian State and Territory Governments on 30 April 2007...
, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was a proposed cap-and-trade system of emissions trading for anthropogenic greenhouse gases, due to be introduced in Australia in 2010 by the Rudd government, as part of its climate change policy. It marked a major change in the energy policy of Australia...
and the Mandatory Renewable energy Target announced by the Australian Government involve a reduction in Australian greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions. Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita in the developed world and wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
is well placed to grow and deliver greenhouse gas emission cuts on a cost competitive basis. A typical 50-megawatt (MW) wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
in Australia can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 65,000 and 115,000 tonnes a year.
Based on the 2010 figures for electricity production of 5 TWh nationally, it is estimated that wind power saved Australia 5,100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in that year. In relative terms, that is calculated to be the equivalent of removing 1,133,000 cars from the nation's roads.
Wind resources
Roaring Forties
The Roaring Forties is the name given to strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 49 degrees. Air displaced from the Equator towards the South Pole, which travels close to the surface between the latitudes of 30 and 60 degrees south, combines...
and hundreds of sites have average wind speeds above 8 or even 9 m/s at 50 m above ground (the hub height of a modern wind generator
Wind generator
A wind generator is a device that generates electrical power from wind energy.Wind generators have traditionally been wind turbines, i.e. a propeller attached to an electric generator attached to appropriate electronics to attach it to the electrical grid or to charge batteries.Recently, however, a...
). The southwest of Western Australia
Southwest corner of Western Australia
The south-west corner drainage region of Western Australia is one of only two temperate and relatively fertile parts of mainland Australia. It covers about 140,000 square kilometres, or a little less than 2% of the continent...
, southern South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, western Victoria, northern Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and elevated areas of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
have good wind resources. Several states engaged in systematic wind speed monitoring in the 1980s and 1990s, the results of which are publicly available. Australian wind farms produce on average capacity factor
Capacity factor
The net capacity factor or load factor of a power plant is the ratio of the actual output of a power plant over a period of time and its potential output if it had operated at full nameplate capacity the entire time...
s of 30–35%, making wind an attractive option. However, the modelling of how wind generating capacity correlates with electricity demand in terms of daily, seasonal and year-to-year patterns of both, has yet to be conducted.
Wind farms
As of October 2010, there were 52 wind farms of greater than 100 kW capacity operating in Australia. The Waubra Wind Farm near Ballarat, VictoriaBallarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
, completed in 2009, was the largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere, consisting of 128 turbines spread over 173 km2 and rated at 192 MW, however in terms of generating capacity Lake Bonney Wind Farm
Lake Bonney Wind Farm
Lake Bonney Wind Farm, in South Australia, was built in two stages. Stage 1 consisted of 46 turbines each having a rated capacity of 1.75 MW and was finished in March 2005. Construction of Stage 2 began in November 2006 and was finished around April 2008. Stage 2 consisted of 53 turbines of 3 MW...
near Millicent, South Australia
Millicent, South Australia
Millicent is a town in South Australia, south-east of Adelaide, and north of Mount Gambier. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,771.The town is home to the Millicent National Trust Museum, and is nearby to the Tantanoola Caves Conservation Park and the Canunda National Park.The Millicent...
was the largest with 239.5 MW, despite only having 99 turbines. These figures were set to be surpassed by the Macarthur Wind Farm
Macarthur Wind Farm
The Macarthur Wind Farm is a wind farm under construction in Victoria, Australia, being built by a joint venture formed by AGL Energy and Meridian Energy. The project is located in Macarthur, Victoria on a 5,500 ha site and it has been permitted to generate up to 420 MW. The wind farm will...
at Macarthur, Victoria
Macarthur, Victoria
Macarthur is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia on the Hamilton-Port Fairy Road. It is in the Shire of Moyne local government area and the federal Division of Wannon...
, scheduled to open in 2013 with a capacity of 420 MW.
By generating capacity, the ten largest wind farms in Australia were:
| No. | Project | State | Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Bonney Wind Farm Lake Bonney Wind Farm Lake Bonney Wind Farm, in South Australia, was built in two stages. Stage 1 consisted of 46 turbines each having a rated capacity of 1.75 MW and was finished in March 2005. Construction of Stage 2 began in November 2006 and was finished around April 2008. Stage 2 consisted of 53 turbines of 3 MW... |
South Australia | 240 |
| 2 | Portland Wind Farm | Victoria | 195 |
| 3 | Waubra Wind Farm | Victoria | 192 |
| 4 | Hallett Wind Farm | South Australia | 166 |
| 5 | Woolnorth Wind Farm | Tasmania | 140 |
| 6 | Snowtown Wind Farm Snowtown wind farm The Snowtown wind farm is a located on the Barunga and Hummocks ranges west of Snowtown in the Mid North of South Australia, around north of the state capital, Adelaide. It is owned by TrustPower.-History:... |
South Australia | 99 |
| 7 | Wattle Point Wind Farm Wattle Point Wind Farm Wattle Point Wind Farm is a wind farm near Edithburgh on the coast of South Australia, which has been operating since April 2005. When it was officially opened in June of that year it was Australia's largest wind farm at 91 megawatts. The installation consists of 55 wind turbines covering and was... |
South Australia | 91 |
| 8 | Walkaway Wind Farm | Western Australia | 90 |
| 9 | Emu Downs Wind Farm | Western Australia | 80 |
| 10 | Mount Millar Wind Farm | South Australia | 70 |
Australia's first commercial wind farm, Salmon Beach Wind Farm near Esperance in Western Australia operated for 15 years from 1987, but was decommissioned due to urban encroachment; it has been replaced by Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm and Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm
Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm
Nine Mile Beach wind farm is the second windfarm generating power for the town of Esperance, Western Australia. The other is Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm which is adjacent. The farm generates 9.5 GWh of electricity per annum....
. In August 2009, The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
newspaper reported that the first of three new large-scale wind farming projects to offset Australia's power-hungry desalination plants would be going ahead.
Wind power by state
A full listing of all the wind farms in Australia, can be found in List of wind farms in Australia. Relevant state articles are:- New South Wales wind power
- Queensland wind farms
- South Australia wind powerWind power in South AustraliaWind power in South Australia is a significant energy source for the state and South Australia is well suited to wind farms due to its proximity to the Roaring forties....
- Tasmania wind farms
- Victoria wind farms
- Western Australia wind farms
For an up-to-date map of the Australian wind energy projects, operating and proposed, download a free copy of the EPi Wind Project Map at www.elementalpower.com.au
Installed and proposed capacity by state
The following figures were based on capacity as of October 2010, and included only projects larger than 100 kW. In world terms, South Australia's market penetration of 19.4% placed it on par the world's leading nation, Denmark, who provided approximately 19% of their total electricity from wind.| # | State / Territory |
Wind Power Capacity | Proposed Projects' Publicly Announced Status (MW) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installed capacity | Feasibility | Seeking approval |
Planning approved |
Under tender |
Abandoned or suspended |
Under construction |
|||||
| Projects | Turbines | Total MW | Penetration (%) | ||||||||
| 1 | South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... |
14 | 435 | 907 | 19.4 | 890 | — | 725 | — | 117 | 296 |
| 2 | 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.... |
9 | 267 | 428 | 4.3 | 846 | 275 | 1,369 | 165 | 120 | 487 |
| 3 | Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east... |
14 | 142 | 202 | 1.2 | 99 | 2 | 142 | — | — | — |
| 4 | New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
7 | 116 | 187 | 1.0 | 525 | 269 | 1,315 | — | 80 | 92 |
| 5 | Tasmania Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart... |
6 | 68 | 143 | 4.7 | 190 | — | 130 | — | 160 | 168 |
| 6 | Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean... |
2 | 22 | 12 | 0.1 | 52 | — | 624 | — | — | — |
| 7 | Australian Antarctic Territory The Australian Antarctic Territory is a part of Antarctica. It was claimed by the United Kingdom and placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation... |
1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.3 | — | — | — |
| 8 | Northern Territory The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions... |
0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory... |
0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Australia | 52 | 1,052 | 1,880 | — | 2,602 | 545 | 4,304 | 165 | 477 | 1,043 | |
Wind turbine efficiency
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...
is defined as the proportion of electrical energy that is derived from the kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
loss in the prevailing wind due to the presence of the turbine. In theory, a 100% efficiency would imply that all of the wind energy that is lost between the windward and leeward side, is converted to electrical energy. In practice, this not achievable due to losses such as mechanical, heat, sound and aerodynamic losses (such as turbulent patches and vortices in the flow structure). The maximum theoretical mechanical efficiency of 59% is known as the Betz limit
Betz' law
Betz's law is a theory about the maximum possible energy to be derived from a "hydraulic wind engine", or a wind turbine such as the Éolienne Bollée , the Eclipse Windmill , and the Aermotor...
.
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% in Europe and has a range of between 30 and 40% in Australia. 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 eightfold.
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.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.
Environmental impact
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, the burning of which releases CO2 into the atmosphere. It is also one of the countries most at risk from climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
according to the Stern report. This is partially because of the size of its agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
sector and long coastline.
A wind farm, when installed on agricultural land, has one of the lowest environmental impacts of all energy sources:
- 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 small and declining. There is very little emission 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.
- Modern wind turbines are almost silent and rotate so slowly (in terms of revolutions per minute) that they are rarely a hazard to birds.
Landscape and heritage issues may be a significant issue for certain wind farms,however these are minimal when compared with the Environmental effects of coal
Environmental effects of coal
The environmental impact of coal mining and burning is diverse. Legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1990 required the United States Environmental Protection Agency to issue a plan to alleviate toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants. After delay and litigation, the EPA now has a...
. 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.
Overseas experience has shown that community consultation and direct involvement of the general public in wind farm projects has helped to increase community approval. Some wind farms become tourist attractions.
Politics of wind power
From 2001 to early 2006, the main driving force for the establishment of wind farms in Australia was the Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET). However, by mid-2006, sufficient renewable energy had been installed or was under construction to meet the small MRET target for 2010. Also, in 2006, several Federal Government Ministers spoke out against a number of wind farm proposals.Dr Mark Diesendorf
Mark Diesendorf
Mark Diesendorf teaches Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales, Australia. He was formerly Professor of Environmental Science at...
has suggested that the Australian Government has tried to stop the development of wind power, the lowest-cost, new, renewable electricity source, until such time as coal-fired power stations with CO2 capture and sequestration and possibly nuclear power stations are available. However, "clean coal" technologies may not be commercially available for at least 20 years. Furthermore, to bring down the high cost of nuclear power to a level where it could compete with wind power would require a new generation of nuclear power stations that is still on the drawing board, which could take at least 15 years.
In November 2007 the Rudd (Labor) government was elected in Australia, replacing the Howard (Liberal/National Coalition) government. The new government ratified Australia's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, promised a target of 20% renewable power by 2020 and to do more to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, several new wind power projects have been proposed in anticipation of an expanded MRET.
In July 2011 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
4 Corners program explored health concerns connected with Australian wind farms in its "Against the Wind" report.
Epuron
Epuron specialises in electricity generation using renewable energyRenewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
. Its focus is on windpower development in NSW, with major projects developed or proposed by Epuron including:
- Gullen Range Wind Farm, 73 wind turbines
- Yass Valley Wind Farm, ~140 wind turbines
- Cullerin Range Wind FarmCullerin Range Wind FarmThe 30 megawatt Cullerin Range Wind Farm is located in New South Wales, Australia. The wind farm was completed in 2009 and cost around $90 million.-See also:*Wind power in Australia*List of wind farms in New South Wales...
, 30 MW - Conroys Gap Wind Farm, 30 MW
- Snowy Plains Wind Farm, 30 MW
- Silverton Wind FarmSilverton Wind FarmThe Silverton Wind Farm is a proposed wind farm to be built in far western New South Wales by renewable energy group Conergy. The wind farm would involve the installation of nearly 600 wind turbines north-west of Broken Hill. The large wind farm should have the capacity to generate electricity for...
, 598 wind turbines, ≈1000 MW (proposed)
Meridian Energy
Meridian EnergyMeridian 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...
is the largest electricity generator in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and has in recent years expanded into Australia. It uses only renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
generation sources, and its Australian operations are currently focused on windpower. Projects completed or currently being developed include:
- Macarthur Wind FarmMacarthur Wind FarmThe Macarthur Wind Farm is a wind farm under construction in Victoria, Australia, being built by a joint venture formed by AGL Energy and Meridian Energy. The project is located in Macarthur, Victoria on a 5,500 ha site and it has been permitted to generate up to 420 MW. The wind farm will...
, 140 wind turbines, 420 MW - Mount Mercer Wind FarmMount Mercer Wind FarmThe 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 turbines, giving a total installed capacity of 131 MW...
, 64 wind turbines, 131 MW - Mount Millar Wind Farm, 35 wind turbines, 70 MW
Pacific Hydro
Pacific HydroPacific Hydro
Pacific Hydro is an Australian company that specialises in electricity generation using renewable energy. Its focus is on hydroelectricity and windpower. It was a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange until July 2005. It was subject to a successful takeover offer by a subsidiary of...
is an Australian company that specialises in electricity generation using renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
. Its focus is on hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
and windpower. Wind power stations owned by Pacific Hydro include:
- Codrington Wind FarmCodrington Wind Farm, VictoriaCodrington Wind Farm is a wind farm on the coast of south-western Victoria, Australia near Yambuk.Completed in June 2001, the 18.2 MW installation of 14 wind turbines generates 51 GWh annually, for a capital cost of 30 million Australian dollars by...
- Challicum Hills Wind FarmChallicum Hills Wind Farm, Victoria (Australia)Challicum Hills Wind Farm is a wind farm encompassed by 35 NEG NM 64 wind turbines, with a total generating capacity of 52.5 MW of electricity. The wind farm is near Ararat in western Victoria, Australia. The power station was commissioned in August 2003 and is in a long term PPA with Origin...
- Portland Wind ProjectPortland Wind ProjectThe 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, of which three have been completed...
Roaring 40s
Roaring 40sRoaring 40s
Roaring 40s is an electricity generator formed in partnership between Hydro Tasmania and China Light & Power . Since the beginning in 2005, Roaring 40s’ has 13 sites in operation or in planning in Australia, India, Hong Kong and mainland China. Cathedral Rocks, Woolnorth, Waterloo Wind Farm and...
is based in Tasmania and has two wind farms operating in Australia: Woolnorth Wind Farm
Woolnorth Wind Farm, Tasmania
Woolnorth Wind Farm is a wind power station at Woolnorth , Tasmania, Australia. It is wholly owned and operated by Roaring 40s and has 62 wind turbines, with a generating capacity of 140 MW of electricity....
in Tasmania and Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm in South Australia. It is currently (as of December 2009) constructing the 117MW Waterloo Wind Farm
Waterloo Wind Farm
The Waterloo Wind Farm is located in South Australia. The 111 megawatt wind farm project was completed in 2010 at an estimated cost of $300 million.-See also:*Wind power in South Australia*List of wind farms in South Australia...
in the Mid North of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
Suzlon
Suzlon Energy Australia Pty. Ltd. (SEA), is based in Melbourne, and is a subsidiary of Suzlon Energy, an Indian multinational based in PunePune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. 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.
TrustPower
TrustPowerTrustPower
TrustPower Limited is a New Zealand electricity generation and electricity retailing company, listed on the New Zealand stock exchange.TrustPower is New Zealand's fifth largest electricity generator and the fourth largest electricity retailer , serving 260,000 customers throughout New Zealand...
is a renewable electricity generating company operating in Australia and New Zealand. Wind farms in Australia include Snowtown
Snowtown wind farm
The Snowtown wind farm is a located on the Barunga and Hummocks ranges west of Snowtown in the Mid North of South Australia, around north of the state capital, Adelaide. It is owned by TrustPower.-History:...
and the proposed Myponga
Myponga Wind Farm
The Myponga Wind Farm is a wind farm project proposed by TrustPower in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges, on the Fleurieu Peninsula 50 km south of Adelaide, South Australia...
, both in South Australia.
Wind Prospect
Wind ProspectWind Prospect
Wind Prospect group undertakes all aspects of wind energy development, including design, construction, operation and commercial services ....
undertakes all aspects of wind energy development, including design, construction, operation and commercial services, with offices in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and China. With over 18 years of successful development within the industry, the Wind Prospect Group has been involved in over 2,500MW of approved wind farms, including onshore and offshore projects, in terms of development, construction, operations and commercial services, and has a further 4000MW in the early phase of development. The company’s civil, electrical and mechanical engineers have been involved in the commissioning of over 50 wind farms around the world.
Wind Prospect’s development offices in Australia are in Adelaide, Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. Wind Prospect Pty Ltd (WPPL) is the most successful developer in Australia, having achieved planning approval for 10 wind farms totalling over 860 MW, of which 565MW is operating or under construction.
Two recent successes in South Australia are the North Brown Hill Wind Farm (132.3MW) and The Bluff Range Wind Farm (52.1MW), both approximately 270 km north east of Adelaide, which are Wind Prospect’s sixth and seventh wind farm developments respectively to progress to construction in South Australia. More projects in this region have received planning approval and are expected to proceed to construction.
| Wind Farm | Turbines | Capacity MW | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallett Wind Farm | 45 | 94.5 | Operating |
| Snowtown (Stage 1) | 47 | 98.7 | Operating |
| Canunda Wind Farm | 23 | 46 | Operating |
| Mount Millar Wind Farm | 35 | 70 | Operating |
| Hallett II (Hallett Hill) | 34 | 71.4 | Operating |
| Hallett IV (North Brown Hill) | 63 | 132.3 | Under Construction |
| Hallett V (The Bluff Range) | 25 | 52.5 | Under Construction |
| Snowtown (Stage 2) | 83 | 166 | Approved, awaiting construction |
| Willogoleche Hill | 26 | 52 | Approved, awaiting construction |
| Troubridge Point | 15 | 30 | Approved |
| Green Point | 18 | 54 | Approved |
| Totals | 414 | 864.9 |
Windlab
Windlab Systems is an Australian company with operations in the USA, Canada and South Africa. It was established in 2003 as a CSIRO spin-off. The company uses self developed technologies, Windscape which is based on CSIRO’s atmospheric modelling technology and advanced wind monitoring tools, to undertake a program of site identification, site validation and wind farm development. Approximately 1500 megawatts of projects in Australia have used Windlab intellectual property for site identification purposes. The company co-developed the Oakland's Hill (67MW) wind farm and the Collgar Wind FarmCollgar Wind Farm
Collgar wind farm is a wind farm located approximately 25 kilometres south east of Merredin, Western Australia. With 111 Vestas V90-2MW wind turbines built in the first stage, and a total capacity of 206 MW it is expected to generate 792,000 MWh on average per year. When completed it will be...
(206MW). Windlab has since become a full wind farm developer and takes projects to the point of construction.
See also
- Energy policy of AustraliaEnergy policy of AustraliaEnergy policy of Australia describes the energy policy in the politics of Australia. Energy in Australia describes energy and electricity production, consumption and export/import in Australia...
- List of large wind farms
- Renewable energy in AustraliaRenewable energy in AustraliaRenewable energy in Australia represents 5.2% of total energy consumption, but only 1.7% of total production, the difference being the result of significant non-renewable energy exports. In the five years to 2009 renewable energy consumption grew by 3.5%, faster than other energy sources. Of all...
- Solar power in AustraliaSolar power in AustraliaAustralia has an estimated 300 MW of installed photovoltaic power , contributing an estimated 0.1 to 0.2% of total electricity production despite the hot and sunny climate that would make it ideal for utilisation...
External links
Australian wind energy production since 14 May 2008 (data from AEMOAustralian Energy Market Operator
The Australian Energy Market Operator delivers an array of gas and electricity market, operational, development and planning functions. It manages the National Electricity Market and the Victorian gas transmission network. AEMO also facilitates electricity and gas full retail contestability,...
)
- Wind Power and Wind Farms in Australia: Wind in the Bush
- List of useful links about renewable energy in Australia
- Renewable Energy Atlas of Australia
- "Why Australia needs wind power" by Mark Diesendorf
- SA Electricity Industry Supply Planning Council 2005 Wind Study
- Sustainability Victoria Wind Energy: The Myths and the Facts
- Why does Green Power cost extra?
- The base-load fallacy
- Integrating wind energy in the Australian National Electricity Market
- Wind energy round the clock