Goldwind calls on local industry to help build 175MW NSW wind farm

Chinese wind energy giant Goldwind has called for expressions of interest from Australian companies based in and around northern NSW to take part in the construction of its 175MW White Rock wind farm, set to begin in November.

The Local Business Participation Program, which aims to maximise opportunities for local businesses and suppliers, is seeking expressions of interest for nearly 40 different work packages ranging from concrete supply to waste collection and water carting services.

Goldwind says it expects the initial development of White Rock wind farm to comprise 70 turbines and associated infrastructure, and to inject between $30 to $40 million into the local economy and involve up to 200 workers.

“We aim to create significant local benefit from the …(project) by offering local companies the opportunity to participate throughout the 18 month construction period and by establishing a local team for the long-term operation phase,” said Goldwind Australia managing director John Titchen.

“We are excited about the opportunity for local businesses to contribute …so that together we can deliver a high quality renewable energy project,” he said.

White Rock – located in the New England Tablelands, about 500km north of Sydney – is one of the few wind projects in the pipeline in Australia at the moment, and was the second big wind farm to get the go-ahead since the revised renewable energy target legislation passed the Senate in June.

Goldwind bought the White Rock wind project from Spanish group Epuron at the height of RET uncertainty in October last year.

In July, Goldwind announced that it had obtained agreement from Transgrid to connect the wind farm to the NEM.

The project is targeting a stage one completion date of June 2017, when the wind farm is expected to generate enough energy to power 75,000 homes a year. It has development approval for up to 119 wind turbines in total.