Windy Hill Wind Farm Explained

Windy Hill Wind Farm
Coordinates:-17.5922°N 145.5306°W
Country:Australia
Location:Ravenshoe, Queensland
Cost:$20 million
Owner:RATCH-Australia
Ps Units Operational:20
Ps Units Manu Model:Enercon

E40

Wind Hub Height:460NaN0
Wind Rotor Diameter:440NaN0
Wind Rated Speed:13-25 m/s
Wind Farm Type:Onshore
Ps Site Elevation:10900NaN0
Wind Site Usage:Farm land
Ps Electrical Capacity:12MW

Windy Hill Wind Farm is a wind power station near Ravenshoe on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland, Australia. It has 20 wind turbines with a generating capacity of 12 MW of electricity, providing enough power for about 3,500 homes. The cost of the project was A$20 million. It was the second wind farm to be constructed in Queensland after the 0.45Mw station on Thursday Island (1997).

The power station was commissioned in 2000 and was initially operated by the Stanwell Corporation. In December 2007 Windy Hill was sold to Transfield Services Infrastructure Fund (TSIF) as part of the Queensland Government's ClimateSmart 2050 strategy.[1] [2] A new substation was built to allow the wind farm's power to connect to the existing 66 kV transmission line. RATCH-Australia bought TSIF in 2011.

Wind turbines

The construction contractor for the wind farm was Powercorp. The wind turbines are located on private land that continues to be used as a dairy farm.[3] Each tower is high. The turbines used at the facility are Enercon E40.[4] They can rotate at speeds between 14 rpm to 38 rpm.[4] Power from the turbines is carried by underground cable to the electricity grid.

Issues in 2023

Unused wind turbine blades are stored near the site.[5] The contractor says these blades are being recycled.[6]

There are aboriginal groups both for and against any extension of the current wind farm.[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stanwell Annual Report 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090914111806/http://www.stanwell.com/Files/General_PDF_Files/2008_Annual_Report_Part_1.pdf . 14 September 2009.
  2. Web site: TSI Fund Acquires Five Wind Farms . Transfield Services . https://web.archive.org/web/20200427075106/https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20071129/pdf/3164njhvc4mcyp.pdf . 27 April 2020 . 29 November 2007 . live.
  3. Web site: Things to do and see: Windy Hill Wind Farm . Queensland Holidays . Tourism Queensland . 9 September 2011 . 26 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826040048/http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/things-to-see-and-do/windy-hill-wind-farm/index.cfm.
  4. Web site: Windy Hill - Phase 1 . Clean Energy Council . 9 September 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120410134655/http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cec/resourcecentre/casestudies/Wind/Windy-Hill.html. 10 April 2012.
  5. Web site: 2023-07-25 . ‘Dirty big secret’: Wind turbine GRAVEYARD found in Aussie forest . 2023-10-11 . 2GB . en.
  6. Web site: Vorrath . Sophie . 2023-08-04 . “Turbine graveyard” debunked: Anatomy of a media anti-wind scare campaign . 2023-10-11 . RenewEconomy . en-AU.
  7. News: 2023-08-03 . Traditional owners to take fight to Canberra over wind farm to be built near protected rainforests . en-AU . ABC News . 2023-10-11.