Mammoet erects 75 turbines for the Ararat wind farm

The last rotor of Ararat Wind Farm’s 75 turbines has been installed by contractor Mammoet. The cable trenching and installation by RJE Global is also complete. To finish the project there just remains the connection of cables to the turbines required to transport electricity generated to the substation and into the grid, commissioning of the remaining turbines and site rehabilitation.

Ararat Wind Farm’s General Manager, Stuart Liddell is confident the Project’s principal construction partner, GEDowner will continue to deliver these remaining tasks on or ahead of schedule to achieve project completion by May 4th, 2017. To date all major construction milestones have been delivered on time contributing to the project’s overall success.

61 of the 75 turbines are already commissioned and contributing to Victoria’s supply of renewable energy and showcasing the potential of the renewables industry in Australia. Once complete, the Ararat Wind Farm will be a world class project that plays a key part in Australia’s renewable energy future. The local community has been overwhelmingly supportive of the Ararat Wind Farm and recognise the significant benefits associated with a project of this scale. Ararat Wind Farm is currently establishing its community grants fund that will be open to eligible applicants in the latter half of 2017.

Background

The Ararat Wind Farm Pty Ltd is co-owned by a consortium of Renewable Energy Systems (“RES”), GE (NYSE: GE), Partners Group on behalf of its clients, and OPTrust. The 240MW Ararat Wind Farm in south-west Victoria will be the third largest wind farm in Australia and has attracted almost half a billion dollars of direct international investment into Victoria.

The Ararat Wind Farm was the first major wind farm contract to be signed following restored bipartisan support for the Renewable Energy Target (RET) in June 2015. Construction of the wind farm is a joint venture between Downer and GE.

The project also benefits from a power purchase agreement with the Australian Capital Territory Government (ACT), guaranteeing the purchase of approximately 40 per cent of the energy produced at the site, which was awarded under the ACT’s Wind Auction announcement in February 2015.

Fast Facts

• 75 turbines will be installed on site.
• 240MW installed capacity.
• Enough electricity to supply 120,000 Victorian homes p.a.
• Blades are 50m in length and weigh 9T each.
• Each turbine’s gravity foundation consists of 350m3 of concrete, 35T of reinforcing steel (embedded 3m into the ground), 108 bolts and are 17m wide.
• Turbines are 135m to the top of the blade. This is referred to as tip height.
• The rotor diameter is 104m.
• The main assembly crane required to erect the turbines weighs 600T.
• Over 200,000m3 of material has been excavated on site to date.
• 62km of trenches are required for the electrical cables to carry electricity back to the onsite substation.
• 230km of single core electrical cable is required to connect the turbine generators to the substation.