WestWind taps GE to help deliver 1GW Golden Plains wind farm

What could be the Southern Hemisphere’s largest wind farm took another step forward on Friday with GE announced as co-developer and turbine supplier for the 800-1000MW Golden Plains project in Victoria.

WestWind Energy Australia said on Friday that it would partner with GE Renewable Energy to co-develop the huge wind farm near Rokewood, in Victoria’s south-west.

The project will use more than 200 of GE’s Cypress onshore wind turbines, and will be completed in stages – starting in 2021 – and is expected to reach completed in around 2025.

The Golden Plains project – which has been in development for more than eight years – secured state development approval in January of this year.

WestWind said it was “elated” by the partnership deal, and would work closely with GE through the development phase to drive value for the project, including layout and grid connection optimisation.

“WestWind Energy’s roots are local – we are a team of just 16, all of whom are based in Victoria. We operate in a different way to the big utilities and developers – we work where we live and are part of the local fabric,” said the company’s managing director, Tobias Geiger.

“This project will make a huge difference to the community, with many local jobs created during construction and operation as well as providing drought proof income to 40 host landholders.”

Owen Sharkey, the Mayor of Golden Plains Shire, said Council was “thrilled” with the latest progress on the wind farm, and looked forward to the benefits the project would bring to the region.

According to GE Renewable Energy, its Cypress turbines are the most powerful and efficient in operation, using a two-piece blade design that allows for greater installed length, and improved logistics.

The first Cypress project in Australia, Bango wind farm, will commence construction in New South Wales in September.

Elsewhere in Australia, WestWind is also currently working on the Moorabool (321MW) and Lal Lal (228MW) wind farms – the latter of which last month began sending power to the grid.