Woolnorth Wind Farm is a wholly-owned project of Roaring 40s Renewable Energy Pty Ltd. The Woolnorth Wind Farm has received Green Power accreditation, a program endorsed by Australian state governments. For a renewable energy product to gain Green Power endorsement it must be generated from eligible renewable energy sources that meet strict environmental standards, and be subject to regular auditing. With the completion in 2006 of the ‘Basslink’ undersea cable across Bass Strait Tasmania became connected to Australia’s mainland electricity grid. Every extra megawatt generated by Roaring 40s’ clean, green wind projects such as Woolnorth Wind Farm, can be sent to the mainland to supplement or replace energy generated from non-renewable sources.
Location
Lying south of the 40th parallel in the path of prevailing westerly winds, the Woolnorth Wind Farm site is located on the historic ‘Woolnorth’ grazing property on the far north-west tip of Tasmania and generates electricity from the cleanest air in the world. The nearby Cape Grim air monitoring station has recorded the air purity of the prevailing Roaring 40s winds as the cleanest measured on Earth.
Project scope
The Woolnorth Wind Farm project proceeded as a three stage development through two sites: the 65 MW Bluff Point and 75 MW Studland Bay. Stage One of Woolnorth Bluff Point Wind Farm, consisting of six Vestas 1.75 MW wind turbines, was completed in August 2002. Stage Two, comprising thirty-one Vestas 1.75 MW wind turbines, was completed in June 2004. Stage Three, the Woolnorth Studland Bay site consisting of twenty-five Vestas V90 3 MW wind turbines, commenced in January 2006 and was completed in May 2007. Upon completion, the 140 MW Woolnorth Wind Farm became the biggest wind farm operating in the southern hemisphere.
Environmental focus
Prior to any construction commencing, Roaring 40s has undertaken extensive field surveys to assess any potential impacts to Aboriginal and European heritage, flora and fauna, noise levels and social, economic and visual values. Important issues at the wind farm site are areas of Aboriginal and European cultural significance and the diverse populations of bird species, including the endangered Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP).
As one of the early focuses of the Woolnorth development, Roaring 40s supported the conservation and management of the Orange-bellied Parrot through a management trust fund which has undertaken the planting of roosting habitat in Victoria and contributed to a research programme looking at the effects of grazing on OBP habitat.
Over the past few years, in conjunction with the regulators and wildlife experts, Roaring 40s has undertaken a comprehensive management regime aimed at minimising the risk of Wedge-tailed Eagle (Eagle) collisions with wind turbine generators (WTG). This has included a broader-scale measure aimed at maintaining the conservation status of the sub-species, including the protection of nest sites throughout Tasmania.
More specifically, on-site Roaring 40s continues to manage Eagle food resources around WTGs to limit their attractiveness to foraging Eagles. There are also a suite of studies in place looking at a range of issues including the breeding success of Eagles on and off site, behaviour of Eagles around turbines and how Eagles utilise the site under different weather conditions.
In addition to these measures, Roaring 40s has established a trust with funds being allocated in part to a state-wide research programme being undertaken in conjunction with the Forest Practices Board examining the effect of human-related activities at nest sites.
Community benefits
Vestas, the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer, constructed a plant in the region to manufacture and assemble turbine components. This provided a major new source of employment during the construction phases, with resultant economic flow-on benefits to the local community.
Electricity generated by the Woolnorth Wind Farm will supply enough green energy for 70,000 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 300,000 tonnes each year.