General News
26 April, 2024
New power line in the wind
A new transmission line stretching 110km across the Wimmera is proposed to connect all the wind energy in the region for generations to come.
WestWind Energy, operator of the proposed Warracknabeal wind farm, is expanding its footprint in the Wimmera with the announcement of the line that will run northwest from Bulgana, near Stawell, towards Warracknabeal.
It says the line will unlock the region’s “siginificant renewable energy potential”, and eventually supply up to 20 per cent of Victoria’s future energy needs.
Twin monopoles will transmit power along the length of the line which, the company says, will one day connect “all the wind energy in the Wimmera”.
Where the line will end has not been determined, although a 110km radius from Bulgana - connection point for the national electricity grid - would likely take it somewhere in the region of Sheep Hills and Minyip.
However, WestWind says the precise location - at which a substation will be built - will be determined by public consultation, “unlike the way government projects are decided”.
“This (decision) will be genuinely people focused,” WestWind head of network Michael Jones told Wimmera Mallee News.
The transmission line will be operated by Wimmera Renewable Energy Solutions (WiRES), a subsidiary of WestWind, for which Mr Jones is also project director.
‘We will work closely with landholders, neighbours and the community
Michael Jones
WestWind says using monopoles will minimise the impact on landholders’ farming operations and reduce visual impacts, as the poles are about 20-40 metres lower than the towers proposed for the 500 kV interconnector from Victoria to NSW.
The project also will include one of Australia’s largest batteries.
“Renewable energy has the potential to advance the Wimmera - establishing a new industry worth billions of dollars and creating thousands of jobs,” WestWind Energy’s managing director Tobi Geiger said.
“The Wimmera’s excellent wind resource and large-scale agricultural landscape makes it an ideal location for these developments, and the Wimmera can make a significant contribution towards meeting Victoria’s renewable energy targets.”
Mr Jones said the project was taking a “fresh approach” to developing renewable energy transmission.
"We will work closely with landholders, neighbours and the community to identify the best route placement as well as delivering benefits back to the region," Mr Jones said.
"We will work hard to minimise any impacts on farming, the environment and local views to deliver the best possible outcomes.”
WiRES says the project has the potential to create as many as 3000 direct jobs, and a further 3000 indirect jobs during peak construction periods.
It also will establish a Regional Benefits Scheme of $750,000 per year - to be overseen by a community advisory group - and a "Neighbour Benefit Scheme" which will see eligible neighbours receive free electricity from renewable energy sources up to the value of a typical Victorian household’s electricity consumption.
WestWind has operated in the renewable energy sector for 20 years.
It expects to lodge an Environmental Effects Statement for the proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park, along with a planning permit application, in mid to late 2024.
The 21,000 hectare site to the west of Warracknabeal will house 206 turbines, and is not directly linked to the WiRES project.
The company says that, once operational, it will establish a community fund equivalent to $2000 per turbine per year to support a range of projects and events to benefit local communities.
WestWind Energy's largest approved project so far is the $3 billion Golden Plains Wind Farm at Gisborne.
Its 215 turbines can produce sufficient power for 765,000 homes, and are built on a total of 37 landholdings.
WestWind has opened a new office at 104 Scott Street, Warracknabeal, and says it is happy for locals to call in.
For more information, visit www.w-wind.com.au.
The WiRES website at www.wiresco.com.au, announcing details of the project, was due to go online yesterday.