Renewable target shit

West Coast ramps up output

A WIND farm on the West Coast is now working at full output and producing enough electricity to power 46,000 houses.

Granville Harbour Wind Farm announced on Friday specialist construction crews had completed the installation and energisation of the farm’s turbines, boosting the volume of clean energy dispatched to the National Energy Market and helping Tasmania achieve its 100 percent renewable energy target two years early.

The farm’s 29th turbine has been commissioned and the last two are going through final certification.

Project director Lyndon Frearson said it was exciting to seethe energisat ion of the 112 MW wind farm with final completion just weeks away.

“We’ve been impressed with the quality and reliability of the wind at Granville Harbour and to see output from the wind farm regularly exceeding 90 percent of the wind farm’ s projected capacity now that all turbines have been completed has been fantastic,” Mr Frearson said.

“For Granville Harbour Wind Farm to be the actual catalyst for Tasmania achieving its 100 percent renewable energy target two years ahead of schedule is a remarkable outcome, and one that everyone involved with its development should be very proud of .”

Up to 200 construction personnel were based at the project site, about 35km northwest of Zeehan, during the 2.5- year construction phase.

A team of six permanent personnel will be recruited to operate and maintain the wind farm.

Resources Minister Guy Barnett said all Tasmanians should be proud that this state was the first in Australia — and one of only a handful of jurisdictions in the world — to achieve this target.