Western Australia is a wind energy pioneer:

The benefits of the Rottnest island project.
WA's first wind farm.
More natural power for Esperance.
Western Power achieves a new milestone in Denham.
Leading the way in Albany.
Australia’s first cyclone-proof wind farm.
Wind power sweeps through Hopetoun and
Bremer Bay.

During the early years of Australia’s renewble energy industry, Western Australia was a leader in the development of wind energy. In WA, wind power has always been the cheapest renewable energy option (compared with solar, hydro and biomass energy). The western and southern coasts of this state, with their consistent winds and isolated electricity needs, are specially suited to wind energy use.

Interest in new sources of renewable energy really took off with the sharp price increases during the major oil crisis in the 1970s. In WA, the price of oil had quadrupled by 1974. The world oil price for a barrel of “Saudi Light” was a mere $2.59 in January 1973 but it had risen to the princely sum of $11.65 by January 1974.

When the State Energy Commission of Western Australia (the SEC of WA) was created in mid-1975, one of its first tasks was to find alternatives to oil for this generation of electricity. All householders paid the same electricity prices, regardless of whether they were located in remote WA or metropolitan Perth. For the SEC of WA, the challenge was to find ways to reduce the cost of supplying electricity to the state’s remote areas. That included investigating the possibility of local renewable energy systems. Wind turbines quickly emerged as a promising alternative to diesel oil. Wind monitoring stations appeared around the state to record information about the speed, reliability and duration of winds.

In the early 1980s, three wind turbines were installed on Rottnest Island as part of the SEC of WA’s “Project RAPSI” (the Remote Area Power Supply Investigation). A 55kW vertical-axis Canadian machine was installed in December 1980, but it was plagued with mechanical and operational difficulties. It was also noisy, provoking complaints from the nearby Geordie Bay settlement 3km away. During a test in July 1983, the turbine spun out of control. With smoke and flames shooting out of the brake just above their heads, the two surprised operators in the cabin below the wildly-spinning rotor ran for it! The machine was subsequently dismantled and removed from the island in 1984.

Above - The large vertical-axis wind turbine - originally installed on Rottnest island off the coast of Western Australia.

Fortunately, better results were achieved with a 55kW horizontal-axis turbine, supplied by “Nordtank”, from Denmark. Of the three wind turbines tested there, only the most successful - the Danish Nordtank - remained on the island. Now an innovative wind-diesel system is operating on
Rottnest Island.

^ back to top ^

The benefits of the Rottnest island project.

In 1984, following the initial Rottnest Island research project, two wind turbines operated from South Fremantle to supply energy straight into the main electricity grid.
The two turbines were both “Westwind machines”, made in WA. One turbine produced 30kW of electricity, while the other turbine generated 60kW. Not far away at Woodman Point, an improved version of the 60kW Westwind turbine provided some of the electricity needed to operate the Water Authority’s water treatment equipment.

^ back to top ^

WA’s first wind farm.

At Salmon Beach a few kilometres west of Esperance, the State Energy Commission of Western Australia (the SEC of WA) opened Australia’s first wind farm in 1987. The Salmon Beach test site was chosen because research showed that the average wind speed over a 12-month period was seven metres per second (25 km/h). The SEC of WA’s research also showed that only some coastal regions, such as Esperance, were suitable for wind energy.

Above - Salmon Beach Wind Farm in Esperance, Western Australia.

Google Earth -Salmon Beach wind farm

The Salmon Beach Wind Farm had six, 60kW Westwind turbines (aerogenerators), which were connected together by two groups of underground cables. These cables were connected to two transformers, which increased the supply to 6,600 volts. From there, the electricity was fed into the local electricity supply system by overhead cables. Each one of the machines was remotely controlled from Esperance’s diesel power station some 6km away by means of a UHF radio link.

SECWA personnel at the Esperance Power Station investigated the output and status of the wind farm by means of a visual display. The WA designed and made machines were tested in South Fremantle by SECWA over two years. The Salmon Beach test site provided an excellent opportunity to assess the viability of wind turbines as producers of energy.

However, the Salmon Beach Wind Farm was decommissioned in mid-2002 due to urban encroachment and the age of the machines. Four of the six turbines from Salmon Beach were sold to a Queensland company. The remaining two turbines were donated to the Esperance community by Verve Energy. One turbine remains on site as a monument for the town and the other is on display near the Esperance Museum. One of the turbine blades is on display at World of Energy, alongside another blade from Rottnest Island.

Above - The installation of the Rottnest Island wind turbine in 2005.

Google Earth - Rottnest Wind Turbine

^ back to top ^

More natural power for Esperance

Above - The Esperance Ten Mile Lagoon wind farm.

Google Earth -Ten Mile Lagoon wind farm

Following the success of the Salmon Beach project, Esperance was chosen as the site for another highly advanced farm. In 1993, Australia’s first commercial wind farm was opened on a ridge at Ten Mile Lagoon, 16km west of Esperance. The $5.96 million Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm had a capacity of 2,025kW. It was known as one of the world’s best-located wind farms because:

• The average wind speed for the site at 7.5m/s (25km/h) was high;
• The local diesel power station was permanently staffed;
• The system could accommodate more wind capacity than other regional grids; and
• The overall economies were better for Esperance than for other sites.

The nine, 225kW turbines had a maximum generating capacity of 2MW, which was equivalent to providing enough power for more than 20,000 “100 watt” light globes.
The Vestas V-27 wind turbines helped to transmit wind energy to Esperance’s diesel system by a 33 kilovolt (kV) power line.

In 2003, Verve Energy installed a new wind farm at Nine Mile Beach, Esperance, at a cost of $10.6 million. The Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm, with ENERCON E-40 wind turbines, immediately began operating together with the Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm.

The Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm has six 600kW variable speed wind turbines, which are capable of producing 3.6MW of electricity. Each one of the six turbines is mounted on a 47 metre tall tower and carries three 22m long blades.

Both the Ten Mile Lagoon and Nine Mile Beach Wind Farms are supplying about a quarter of the region’s energy needs, or some 3,500 homes. They are reducing Esperance’s greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent. The construction of the Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm was part of “Project Esperance”, the largest capital works program undertaken in the town at the time. Under the $106 million project, Esperance people received a new gas-fired power station and gas pipeline, which began to be operated by Burns and Roe Worley in April 2004.

^ back to top ^

A new milestone in Denham.

Above - the installation of the Denham advanced wind turbine project.

Google Earth - Denham

Denham was the next WA town to benefit from a highly advanced wind turbine project. The Denham project began in 1998 and it was to become the first example of a large-scale, variable-speed, inverter-coupled wind turbine in Australia.

In mid-1998, a Darwin-based company, Powercorp Pty Ltd, installed a single Enercon E-30 wind turbine some 2km from Denham. This single three-bladed turbine operated in parallel with Denham’s 1,700kW diesel power station. A computer at the power station automatically controlled the whole wind energy system to meet Denham's power needs. This control system was also designed and manufactured by Powercorp. Overall monitoring and analysis of the Denham system was maintained from Western Power Corporation's offices in Perth, using special remote monitoring equipment.

The combined use of this Australian “smart control” technology, together with the advanced variable speed wind turbine, was unique in the world at the time. The fully controllable wind turbine delivered a much higher proportion of the town's electricity compared to the first two wind farms in Esperance. In its first year of operation, the single turbine met expectations by producing 20 per cent of Denham's electricity. This meant an annual savings of 162,000 litres of diesel fuel and 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Two identical wind turbines were completed in Denham in December 1999. This trebled the amount of wind power, meaning that Denham had the highest wind penetration anywhere in the world for a town of this size.

Powercorp installed a more advanced control system in March 2000 to control the three wind turbines, four diesel generators and a “flywheel” energy storage system. A flywheel is a large rotating mass that stores energy during its rotational momentum, storing energy by speeding up and releasing energy as it slows down. During the testing phase, it was decided that the flywheels, sourced from Europe, did not provide the necessary performance required for the Denham wind/diesel system.

Powercorp and Verve Energy subsequently developed a better alternative to the flywheels in 2002. An advanced diesel generator was modified to operate as a 'low load diesel' (LLD®) and it was installed in May 2003. The LLD® runs continuously, reducing the number of operating conventional diesels. Unlike conventional diesels, the LLD® can reduce its output and fuel consumption to very low levels to allow the wind farm to supply more of the town's load. A second LLD® was installed later in 2004, after which the wind farm began supplying 2,000 megawatt per hours (MWh) of electricity to Denham each year.

Denham is now powered by a diesel power station and three wind turbines. These wind turbines contribute approximately 40 per cent of Denham’s electricity requirements and save about 550,000 litres of diesel fuel and 1,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide gas emissions in the town each year.

^ back to top ^

Leading the way in Albany.

Above - The Albany wind farm at Sand Patch, Western Australia.

Google Earth - Albany Wind Farm

In October 2001, Australia’s largest and most advanced wind farm at the time was opened near Albany. Verve Energy spent six years in the design and construction of the $44 million, 22MW Albany Wind Farm. Through a partnership with the German wind turbine manufacturer Enercon Power Corporation, the Albany Wind Farm was constructed at Sand Patch, about 12km south-west of the city. The site was selected because it had the best winds and gave the lowest overall energy costs than anywhere else in WA.

The wind farm had the biggest wind turbines in the southern hemisphere at the time. Each one of the 12 turbines is located on top of a 65m tower and carries three 35m long blades, producing up to 1.84MW of electricity. Winds as low as 7km per hour (2 m/s) set the variable speed blades turning, but when the wind speed reaches 120km  per hour (33m/s), the turbines shut down to prevent damage. The towers are designed to withstand winds greater than 220km per hour. The Albany wind turbines also include a direct drive generator with no gearbox, significantly reducing maintenance and lowering sound emissions.

Albany’s wind farm can produce enough electricity for 15,000 homes a year – up to 75 per cent of the city’s power requirement. When the wind isn't blowing, the city is supplied with power via transmission lines from Western Australia's large coal and gas-fired power stations further north. On some occasions the wind farm actually exports power north along the transmission network.

The wind farm lowers greenhouse gas emissions by about 76,000 tonnes per year, as the electricity it produces does not have to be generated by Western Australia's large coal and gas power stations. Although the wind farm is located in a sensitive coastal environment, extensive environmental research and community consultation was conducted to ensure the projects satisfied the State Government’s stringent requirements.

^ back to top ^

Australia’s first “cyclone-proof” wind farm.


Above - the installation of the 'cyclone proof' wind farm - note how the wind turbines can be lowered or raised to suit the weather conditions.

With Federal Government assistance, Verve Energy began to explore the prospects of generating wind energy in remote, cyclone-prone areas. In June 2002, the windswept, northern town of Exmouth became the home of Australia’s first “cyclone proof” wind farm. The Exmouth Advanced Mini Wind Farm was developed by Verve Energy and Westwind Turbines, with assistance from the Australian Co-operative Research Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE).

This innovative, mini wind farm consists of three turbines, which are installed on the diesel-powered distribution network in Exmouth. As Exmouth is prone to cyclones, traditional wind turbines (with fixed towers) are not suitable for the area because they could be seriously damaged during a severe storm. The three Exmouth wind turbines are located on tow-up type, guyed steel towers that are 30 metres high. When a cyclone approaches, the turbines are lowered to the ground and secured until the weather improves. The turbines are also designed to withstand a 2 second wind gust of up to 210 kilometres per hour (km/hr).

Another advantage of these turbines is their use of “rare-earth super magnets”, which are strong magnets used in electricity generators in place of normal electro-magnets. Rare-earth super magnets are highly useful for the Exmouth wind turbines because they are much lighter and require less maintenance than traditional high-strength magnets. This allows an increase in the power capacity of the tow-up wind turbines.

The facility generates approximately 120MWh of electricity each year, which can supply 20 homes. Wind energy will replace 35,000 litres of diesel fuel that would have been used in the Exmouth Power Station. This is a saving of about 100 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.

^ back to top ^

Wind power sweeps through Hopetoun and Bremer Bay.

During January 2004, the blustery, south coast towns of Hopetoun and Bremer Bay joined Albany, Esperance, Exmouth and Denham as WA communities with their own wind farms. It was determined that wind energy was the most cost effective way of generating electricity for Hopetoun’s 350 residents.

Google Earth - Hopetoun

The $3 million Hopetoun Mini Wind Farm is supplying approximately 40 per cent of the town’s electricity needs. The Hopetoun facility is able to capture more wind energy than any other wind farm in WA. It consists of a single wind turbine, which is mounted on a 46m high tower and carries three 22m long blades. It is integrated into the local diesel electricity supply system. The facility also features state-of-the-art electronic control equipment developed by Verve Energy and Darwin company Powercorp.

Wind energy is replacing about 400,000 litres of diesel fuel which is used at the Hopetoun Power Station each year. Another major environmental benefit is that annual greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by about 1,500 tonnes a year.

Verve Energy (through D&WS) is planning a second wind turbine and a new diesel-fired power station in Hopetoun. This will result in more renewable energy and environmental benefits for local residents. It is expected that the proposed second wind turbine will generate up to 600kW. The total height of the second turbine structure will be almost 70m. Three blades, which are 22m long each, will be attached to the proposed wind turbine in Hopetoun.

To improve power reliability, Verve Energy installed a 660kW wind turbine and new diesel power station in Bremer Bay. The new turbine is expected to generate around 1,800MWh per year, meeting up to 40 per cent of Bremer Bay's electricity needs and reducing diesel consumption by around 400,000 litres per year. The project was completed with Powercorp and further strengthened Western Australia’s reputation in effectively combining wind energy with diesel-powered grids.

The Cocos Islands Wind Farm was completed in 2006. The project involved the installation of an 80kW wind farm (consisting of four 20kW wind turbines) and a wind-diesel control system in the Home Island community in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It is expected that up to 15 per cent of the island's electricity will come from wind turbines. The new turbines will save around 50,000 litres of diesel per year. Another benefit is that the turbines are mounted on 30 metre high towers that can be lowered to the ground to ensure they are not damaged during cyclones. The Home Island project utilised the  Exmouth type of wind turbine.

To view photos of the project, go to:
www.daws.com.au

One of Australia’s largest wind energy facilities was constructed in late 2005, located approximately 25 kilometres south-east of Geraldton on the Walkaway Nangetty Road. The new Alinta Wind Farm is owned by Renewable Power Ventures (RPV), a renewable energy development company. The Western Australian gas company, Alinta, will purchase the power generated from the wind farm and sell wind energy to customers.

Above - Walkaway turbine ready for installation.

Google Earth - Walkaway

The Alinta Wind Farm consists of 54 of the world’s largest wind turbines and produces up to 90MW of power to supply a maximum 60,000 homes. Each year, the clean wind energy will displace 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions which would normally be produced by traditional fossil fuel-based power generation. This is the equivalent of removing 80,000 cars from Western Australian roads each year.

For more information, go to:
www.alinta.net.au

Verve Energy has commenced a new wind-diesel project in Coral Bay, which is 120 kilometres south of Exmouth. The project will include three 275-kilowatt wind turbines that are expected to meet up to 40 per cent of Coral Bay’s energy needs by the end of 2007.

Also, an 80MW wind farm was commissioned in October 2006 near Cervantes. The Emu Downs Wind Farm, with 48 wind turbines, has been developed by Stanwell Corporation, a Queensland Government-owned power generation corporation, and Western Australian-based Griffin Energy. Wind energy will displace some 280,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year. It is expected that this wind energy will provide power to more than 50,000 homes a year.

Wind-generated electricity from the Emu Downs facility is earmarked to power Perth’s new seawater desalination plant in Kwinana. The $387 million desalination plant is owned by the Water Corporation, which will become the state’s biggest user of renewable energy and the desalinisation plant will be the largest facility of its kind in the world to be powered by renewable energy. The desalination plant will increase Western Australia’s water supply by 45 gigalitres per year by the summer of 2006/2007. The project will bring a range of benefits to the community in terms of business opportunities, jobs, training and tourism.

For more information about the Emu Downs Wind Farm, go to:
http://stanwell.com


Verve Energy has commenced the construction of a 1.6MW wind farm at the southern outskirts of Kalbarri. The project will involve the installation of two wind turbines and a state-of-the-art control system. The wind farm is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4,500 tonnes annually and it should be completed by May 2007, with funding from the State Government and the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP).

^ back to top ^