Wind Prospect's $500 Million Windfarm in Australia Under Approval

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Perth, Australia)--Wind Prospect Pty Limited (New South Wales, Australia), a subsidiary of Wind Prospect Group (Bristol, England), is awaiting planning and funding approvals for a $500 million windfarm at Glen Innes, New South Wales, Australia.

Wind Prospect initiated the proposal to build a 318-megawatt (MW) Sapphire windfarm in 2010. The project has undergone several re-evaluations in design and received the development approvals in 2011. The windfarm also had several issues with the location and turbine layout; however, the renewable energy scheme has encouraged the project development substantially.

The proposal for the windfarm comprises two potential design layouts: one consisting of 125 wind turbines of 3.4 MW each, and the other 159 wind turbines of 1.5 MW each, which will be spread over 22 different properties. The windfarm will generate approximately 330 MW of electricity when it begins operations. Wind Prospect will consider a range of turbines and machines for this project, with these sizes representing the upper and lower limits, respectively.

The dimension of each wind turbine could be up to 156 metres to blade tip, consisting of a tower section 80 to 100 metres in height and blades up to 56 metres in length.

Wind Prospect will make the ultimate choice between the two proposed design layouts, based on the availability of wind turbines and the capital approval. However, the same land will be utilized, regardless of the layout. Based on these numbers, the installed capacity of the windfarm could therefore range between 238 to 425 MW.

Wind Prospect is waiting for planning approvals and hopes to receive a final determination by the end of this year. Wind Prospect has yet to receive financial approval for the project and is looking forward for the decision to be made by July 2013.

The project is scheduled to kick off construction in September 2013 and will undergo a 21-month construction period. Wind Prospect expects to begin the commercial operation of the windfarm in June 2015.

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