Senvion, a leading global manufacturer of wind turbines, has signed a contract with EDL to supply wind energy to a hybrid micro-grid in Coober Pedy, a remote town in South Australia. In addition to two Senvion MM92 turbines from the company’s two-megawatt (MW) portfolio, the project will also use a unique combination of solar and battery storage to reduce the town’s reliance on diesel fuel. Construction of the project will start in September 2016, with commercial operations expected to commence in the second half of 2017. The nacelle and rotor blades will be manufactured at Senvion’s factories in Portugal.
Chris Judd, Managing Director of Senvion Australia, said: “Wind energy can play a very important role in helping remote communities and industries reduce their reliance on expensive fuels. This pioneering micro-grid project will demonstrate what can be achieved in remote applications – not just in Australia, but also the rest of the world. We are thrilled to be working with EDL on this exciting and innovative project in Coober Pedy. Senvion’s robust and reliable technology is perfectly suited to remote applications, including the harsh conditions of South Australia’s outback, and we have the right skills and expertise to make this project a success.” Through its involvement in projects like Hepburn Wind, Australia’s first ever community-owned wind farm, Senvion is building a reputation as an expert in community-scale wind energy projects. However, this will be the first time that Senvion has delivered an off-grid project.
Due to its innovative nature, the project has secured $18.4 million funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). ARENA’s CEO Ivor Frishknecht said: “This is a next-generation off-grid project, taking advantage of advanced renewable and enabling technologies that have already been successfully trialled at off-grid locations such as King Island.”
To date, Senvion has installed 215 wind turbines from the Senvion two-megawatt series with a cumulated rated power of over 437 MW in Australia. Senvion Australia Pty. Ltd. was founded in August 2002 as a joint venture between Australian companies Downer Engineering, R.F. Industries and Senvion GmbH of Germany. Senvion Australia Pty. Ltd. is the exclusive distributor of Senvion wind turbine technology in Australia, New Zealand and the Southern Pacific Region.
Senvion is a leading global manufacturer of onshore and offshore wind turbines. The company develops, produces and markets wind turbines for almost any location – with rated outputs of 2 MW to 6.15 MW and rotor diameters of 82 metres to 152 metres. Furthermore, the company offers its customers project specific solutions in the areas of turnkey, service and maintenance, transport and installation, as well as foundation planning and construction. The systems are designed at the Senvion TechCenter in Osterrönfeld and manufactured at its German plants in Husum (North Friesland), Trampe (Brandenburg) and Bremerhaven, as well as Portugal. With approximately 3,900 employees worldwide, the company makes use of the experience gained from the manufacture and installation of more than 6,600 wind turbines around the world. The company’s operational subsidiary Senvion GmbH is based in Hamburg and represented by distribution partners, subsidiaries and participations in European markets such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Sweden, and Poland as well as on a global level in the USA, China, Australia and Canada. Senvion S.A. is listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
ARENA was established by the Australian Government to make renewable energy technologies more affordable and increase the supply of renewable energy in Australia. Through the provision of funding coupled with deep commercial and technical expertise, ARENA provides the support needed to accelerate the development of promising new solutions towards commercialisation. ARENA invests in renewable energy projects across the innovation chain and is committed to sharing knowledge and lessons learned from its portfolio of projects and information about renewable energy. To date, ARENA has committed $1.1 billion in funding to more than 250 projects, leveraging more than 1.5 times that amount from additional funding sources.
