Turbine hub for Geelong

GLOBAL wind turbine leader Vestas will build a manufacturing base in Geelong as part of a renewable energy hub announced by the Danish company on Thursday.

The project is set to supply turbines to major wind farm developments at Berrybank, about 80km west of Geelong, and Dundonnell, near Mortlake.

The renewable energy hub will include a support centre and a specialist facility to house the largest turbine spare parts in Geelong, making wind turbine assemblies in partnership with local manufacturers.

A partnership with Deakin University’s Carbon Nexus will research the next generation of carbon fibre to make more efficient wind turbines.

The Vestas Renewable Energy Hub, which is expected to create more than 25 jobs, was announced in Geelong by Vestas Wind Systems global CEO Anders Runevad and Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio.

“As a premier regional port with a highly skilled workforce and world-class research facility, Geelong was the logical choice for our investment,” Mr Runevad said.

Vestas has a contract to supply the Berrybank project and was recently nominated as the preferred supplier for Dundonnell.

The Berrybank wind farm, involving 43 turbines, and the Dundonnell wind farm, with 80 turbines, will cost more than $1 billion.

Vestas’ Australian head, Peter Cowling, said the company was still making arrangements with a local manufacturing partner, with negotiations to determine where to site the manufacturing plant — a $3 million to $3.5 million investment.

Mr Cowling said he hoped the renewable energy hub would be operating in the first half of next year, with the wind farms due to be in the ground by the middle of 2020.