RES and partners to supply 75 turbines to $450m Ararat Wind Farm in Australia

UK-based Renewable Energy Systems along with GE and Downer has secured a contract to supply 75 wind turbines to the 240MW Ararat Wind Farm to be developed in south-west Victoria, Australia.

Partners Group, RES, OPTrust and GE are backing the $450m project, which is going to be the third largest wind farm in Australia.

The supply deal represents the first major contract to be signed following the bi-partisan agreement in the country for scaling down renewable energy target (RET) to 33,000GW hours by 2020.

Around 40% of the energy produced from the wind farm will be purchased by the Australian Capital Territory Government (ACT).

RES will be resposible for managing the development, construction and commissioning of the project, and as per a ten-year service agreement, GE will provide ongoing operations and maintenance for the project.

Ararat wind farm is expected to have a life span of 25 years and will produce enough electricity to power around 123,000 homes per annum.

GE Australia president Geoff Culbert: "The wind farm will have significant local impact.

"It will employ around 165 workers directly in the construction phase, another 120 indirectly, and is expected to inject at least $7 million – $8 million into the local economy around Ararat over two years. The project will also establish a local community fund which will inject over $2 million in support of good causes over its lifetime."

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Image: Global consortium to deliver Australia’s third largest wind farm. Photo: ©2015 General Electric.