Phase two construction of Golden Plains, the southern hemisphere’s largest wind farm is set to begin in Victoria, Australia, according to the project’s developer TagEnergy.
The clean energy enterprise creating competitive clean power stations to accelerate the energy transition and help the world reach net-zero carbon emissions sooner announced that it had secured non-recourse finance for the implementation of this phase dubbed Golden Plains Wind Farm – West from a global group of clean energy transition lenders.
These lenders include the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac and Denmark’s Export & Investment Fund. Japan’s Mizuho Bank, France’s Natixis Bank, the Bank of China and Deutsche Bank also make the group of international lenders.
Golden Plains Wind Farm – West project team and expectations
Reportedly, TagEnergy has also entered into a new Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract with Vestas Wind Systems A/S, a Danish manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines.
Other companies appointed to deliver this phase of the US$ 2.6 billion Golden Plains Wind Farm project thus far include AusNet Services and WestWind Energy. AusNet will carry out grid connection works while WestWind Energy will be the project’s asset manager.
The implementation of the Golden Plains Wind Farm – West project is set to begin in the first quarter of 2025. The project scope includes the installation of a total of 93 V162-6.2 MW wind turbines from the Vestas EnVentus platform.
The Golden Plains Wind Farm – West is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2026 with an installed capacity of 577 MW.
Golden Plains Wind Farm Phase 1
The first phase of the approximately 1,330 MW capacity Golden Plains Wind Farm is currently under construction on a 16,723 ha site near Rokewood, a small town in the Golden Plains Shire municipality.
The implementation of this phase of the project dubbed Golden Plains Wind Farm-East began in early 2023 with Vestas Wind Systems as the EPC contractor. The project comprises the installation of 122 Vestas model V162-6.2 MW wind turbines from the EnVentus platform as well.
At the time of the announcement of the Golden Plains Wind Farm–West, about 25% of the 122 Golden Plains Wind Farm-East turbines had been erected. This phase is expected to be fully complete and start producing green energy in the first quarter of 2025.
Significance The Southern Hemisphere’s largest wind farm
Featuring a total of 215 wind turbines and associated electrical infrastructure the 1,300 MW capacity Golden Plains Wind Farm will be capable of producing more than 4,500 GWh of energy annually,
The power plant’s power capacity is the equivalent of approximately 8% of Victoria’s energy demand. At least 765,000 homes or approximately every home in regional Victoria will directly benefit from the Golden Plains Wind Farm which also features a 300 MW battery storage facility that will add flexibility and stability to the grid.
Beyond energy generation, the southern hemisphere’s largest wind farm will prevent more than 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to 3% of Victoria’s total greenhouse emissions, from being emitted to the atmosphere annually.
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