South Australia wind farms lift Australia to record monthly output in August

August 2022 ends with all Australian utility PV and wind assets generating 3880 GWh, up from 3193 GWh (+22%) in August 2021.

Australian wind farms set a new monthly output record in August, producing a total of 3052GWh, up from the previous record of 2839GWh in June this year, with the increase driven by strong performances in South Australia and the addition of new projects.

Wind production records were broken in both Victoria and South Australia. Victoria, where the country’s biggest wind farm at Stockyard Hill recently finished its commissioning process, produced 1092GWh, while South Australia, where the Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park has been added, produced 696GWh.

According to new data from Rystad Energy, the country’s best performing wind projects in the month of August where in South Australia.

The Willogoleche wind farm owned by Engie led the way with a capacity factor of 51.3 per cent, just pipping the  Snowtown 2 wind farm, now owned by Palisade Investment Partners  and First State Super, which delivered a capacity factor of 51.2% CF) also in South Australia.

Another two South Australia wind farms – Neoen’s Hornsdale 1 and APA’s Hallet 4 also beat the 50 per cent capacity factor benchmark, as did the Granville Harbour wind farm in Tasmania.

The Kiata wind farm in Victoria, typically one of the best performing assets in the country, fell just short of 50 per cent at 49.9 per cent.