Australia

The Wind Energy Project is part of an ongoing project intended to help provide a clean, renewable source of energy through the combination of existing wind turbines technology and recent developments in the fields of meteorology and fluid mechanics. The Kyoto climate change summit has given great focus to the issue of renewable alternative power sources. From it has emerged the Australian Government's Greenhouse Strategy that includes a commitment to source 2% of the nation's energy requirements from renewable resources by 2010. The community is increasingly aware of the role of renewables in meeting energy requirements with 'greenpower' schemes gaining support. The Australian Greenhouse Office projections for the expansion of the renewables industry lists large scale grid-connected wind as a major component of the renewable portfolio, with an annual contribution of 1000 gigawatt hours (GWhr) per year from an installed capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) by 2010...more>>

The Crookwell Wind Farm

The Crookwell wind farm is Australia's first grid-connected wind farm. The wind farm was constructed and began operating in 1998. The site consists of eight Vestas 600 kW turbines with a total peak output of roughly 5 MW - enough to power 3500 homes and displace 8000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This joint project between Pacific Power and Great Southern Energy used CSIRO Land and Water science and technology to determine the optimum placement of the turbines, as well as to predict energy yield...more>>

The Blayney Wind Farm

In October 2000, a new wind farm opened at Blayney, west of Bathurst NSW. The farm consists of 15 turbines and is of 10MW capacity, twice the size of the existing Crookwell wind farm. CSIRO Wind Energy Research Unit conducted careful monitoring and analysis over several years to determine the best location and layout of the turbines. The project was a joint effort with Pacific Power and Advance Energy...more>>

The wind blowing across south western Wales could supply 45 times Australia's energy needs (http://www.seda.nsw.gov.au/)

Energy Conversion:

References and Additional Information about Wind Resources in Australia:

CSIRO Australia: http://www.clw.csiro.au/products/windenergy/research/project.htm
CSIRO Australia Wind Energy Research Unit: http://www.clw.csiro.au/products/windenergy/index.html
SEDA Renewable Energy and Cogeneration: http://www.seda.nsw.gov.au/
Australia Energy: http://www.australiadaily.com/s/australiaenergy/
Renewable Energy World Australia: http://www.jxj.com/magsandj/rew/2001_06/climate_change.html
Energy Breakdown Chart of Australia: Energy Chart
Energy Grid Map of Australia: Grid Map

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