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Winchelsea | Hepburn
Winchelsea
Future Energy has been engaged by International Power to assist in the planning phase of a proposed wind farm on Mount Pollock, near Winchelsea in south-western Victoria. Preliminary investigations of the site are complete and it is believed there is good potential for the development of a wind farm there.
All planning and feasibility studies for the proposal are based on a wind farm of fourteen wind turbines, with a total capacity of approximately 28 megawatts. This capacity will produce enough energy for around 14,000 homes. It is expected the power will be connected to the Winchelsea sub-station.
The site is cleared farming land, providing easy access for construction and minimum disruption to the local environment. If the wind farm goes ahead, the farming will continue unchanged. Investigations into the impact on flora and fauna, cultural heritage, landscape, sound and traffic have begun.
Several open information days have been held in Winchelsea to involve the local community in the project and these were overwhelmed with support for the idea. This small project allows the community to make a local contribution to the global effort to reduce climate change.
International Power (Australia) Pty Ltd, the company proposing to develop the wind farm, has been involved in the Australian energy industry since 1996 and is now the country's largest private generator of energy. The company owns and operates renewable energy plants around Australia and the world.
| Specifications |
| Turbines |
14 * 2 MW wind turbines |
| Rated Capacity |
28 MW |
| Energy generated annually |
85,000 MWh |
| Environmental Benefits |
| Clean energy produced per year |
85,000 MWh |
| Number of households supplied |
16,000 |
| Greenhouse gas abatement per year |
85,000 tonnes of CO2 |
| Number of cars off the road |
19,000 |
| Equivalent number of trees planted |
160,000 |
| Approvals |
| Process |
FE is currently preparing the Planning Application |
| Fauna |
Study completed |
| Flora |
Assessment completed |
| Noise |
Part of planning application |
| Heritage |
Assessment completed |
| Visual amenity |
Part of planning application |
| Wind resource |
| Average wind speed |
ca. 8 m/sec |
| Source |
Computer modelled data |
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