Renewable energy target on track with new wind farm opening


Released 25/07/2017

The supply of renewable electricity to the ACT is set to grow as construction is now complete on Ararat wind farm in Victoria, Acting Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Mick Gentleman said today.

“Ararat wind farm, which was officially opened today, has started feeding renewable electricity into the grid and will contribute towards the ACT achieving its 100% renewable electricity target. It is pleasing that the almost two year construction period has now been successfully completed,” Minister Gentleman said.

The wind farm has a total of 75 wind turbines, 27 of which are supported by an ACT large scale feed-in tariff. The turbines will supply about 272,000 megawatt-hours of clean, renewable electricity each year, which is enough to power around 37,000 Canberra homes and ensure the ACT is on the way to achieving 100% renewable electricity target by 2020.

As with all renewable electricity projects being undertaken in Canberra, the Ararat wind farm project is helping to strengthen the ACT economy. This includes local firm, Windlab, managing the wind farm’s operation – creating seven new jobs in Canberra.

“The Ararat wind farm will also support local research and education through the development of a new Master’s course in wind development at the Australian National University and a research partnership for the development of a new wind modelling tool with Loughborough University in the United Kingdom,” Minister Gentleman said.

“The completion of Ararat wind farm is another milestone in the ACT’s ambitious renewable electricity target and further evidence of the success of our innovative reverse auctions. The ACT is on track to reach 40 per cent renewable electricity supply for the 2017 calendar year.”

“With a steady stream of wind and solar projects coming online over the next couple of years we are well on track to achieving our 100% renewable electricity target by 2020, the ACT is already on track to reach 40 per cent renewable electricity supply for this calendar year,” Minister Gentleman concluded.

As more renewables projects are completed, the ACT’s innovative ‘contract for difference’ payment model will ensure costs to consumers are kept to a minimum as well as helping to insulate electricity users in the ACT from rising wholesale electricity market costs.

- Statement ends -

Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases


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