Wind power in Australia

The information centre near the base of one of the towers at Wattle Point Wind Farm

External images
2008 wind resource map
Current generation profile, all sources

Australia has excellent wind resources by world standards.[5][6] The southern coastline lies in the roaring forties and many sites have average wind speeds above 8 or even 9 m/s at turbine hub height. The southwest of Western Australia, southern South Australia, western Victoria, northern Tasmania and elevated areas of New South Wales and Queensland have good wind resources. Several states engaged in systematic wind speed monitoring in the 1980s and 1990s, the results of which are publicly available.[7] Australian wind farms produce on average capacity factors of 30–35%, making wind an attractive option.[8] South Australia's large share (along with nearby Victoria) means most of Australia's wind power occurs around the same time. The correlation between South Australia and NSW is 0.34, whereas the correlation between South Australia and Tasmania is 0.10.[9]

As at the end of 2019 there were 101 wind farms in Australia, totalling 6,279 MW in capacity.

The largest wind farm is Coopers Gap Wind Farm in Queensland, which began generating to the grid in June 2019, with a capacity of 453 MW.[10] As of December 2019, 50 of the Coopers Gap Wind Farm's 123 turbines were operational.[1]

By generating capacity, the ten largest wind farms in Australia are:

Australia's first commercial wind farm, Salmon Beach Wind Farm near Esperance in Western Australia operated for 15 years from 1987, but was decommissioned due to urban encroachment; it has been replaced by Ten Mile Lagoon Wind Farm and Nine Mile Beach Wind Farm.

A full listing of all the wind farms in Australia, can be found in List of wind farms in Australia. Relevant state articles are:

• New South Wales wind power
• Queensland wind farms
• South Australia wind power
• Tasmania wind farms
• Victoria wind farms
• Western Australia wind farms

Installed capacity by state

The following figures are based on capacity and generation as at the end of 2019.[1] Proposed figures are updated to March 2020.[13]

South Australia provided 29.2% of Australia's wind power in 2019, accounting for 41% of the state's electricity needs in 2019.[1] By the end of 2011 wind power in South Australia reached 26% of the State's electricity generation, edging out coal-fired power for the first time. At that stage South Australia, with only 7.2% of Australia's population, had 54% of Australia's installed wind capacity.

Victoria also has a substantial system, which provided 27.8% of Australia's wind power in 2019.[1] In August 2015, the Victorian government announced financial backing for new wind farms as part of a push to encourage renewable energy in the state, which was expected to bring forward the building of a modest 100 MW of new wind energy in the state, worth $200 million in investment. The government expected that there were about 2400 MW worth of Victorian projects that had been approved but were yet to be built.[16]

Installed capacity (nameplate) is the theoretical maximum capacity of the engineered design in perfect operating conditions. The accepted AEMO rating is the capacity factor rating which amounts to 30 to 35 percent of installed/nameplate capacity. And then depending on wind turbine location there is a loss of energy in the feeder transmission line (depending on length) leading to the main electricity grid.

Making comparisons between wind and other sources of energy can be difficult because of the cost profiles associated with wind developments. The vast majority of the costs associated with wind developments are upfront capital costs. The operating costs are relatively low but there are maintenance costs including replacement of various components subject to wear, with each additional unit of wind power costing very little to produce. By comparison, conventional gas and coal developments have large capital costs, as well as significant operating costs. Conventional coal and gas fired power stations have more than double the accountable working life compared to wind turbines, and properly maintained could continue to be operated for three times the wind turbine life or longer. The difference in cost profiles creates difficulties when trying to compare the cost of alternative energy sources.[17]

Despite these complexities, most of the data indicate that wind energy is one of the most cost efficient sources of renewable energy but approximately two times the cost of coal generated power in 2006.[17] When the costs associated with pollution are factored in it was competitive with coal- and gas-fired power stations even then.[17] By 2014, wind had the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of any power source in Australia.[18]

A 2012 study by SKM on the economic benefits of wind farms in Australia found that, for every 50 MW in capacity, a wind farm delivered the following benefits:

• direct employment of up to 48 construction workers, with each worker spending approximately $25,000 in the local area in shops, restaurants, hotels and other services – a total of up to $1.2 million
• direct employment of around five staff – a total annual input of $125,000 spent in the local economy
• indirect employment during the construction phase of approximately 160 people locally, 504 state jobs and 795 nationwide jobs
• up to $250,000 per year for farmers in land rental income and $80,000 on community projects each year.[19]

Wind power is one of the most environmentally friendly sources of renewable energy

Australia is the fifth highest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases with 25.8 tonne CO₂-e per person annually, ranking first of the industrialized countries, and ranks sixteenth of all countries in total country emissions with 495 Mt CO₂-e per annum.[20] It is one of the major exporters of coal, the burning of which releases CO₂ into the atmosphere. It is also one of the countries most at risk from climate change according to the Stern report. This is partially because of the size of its agriculture sector and long coastline.

A wind farm, when installed on agricultural land, has one of the lowest environmental impacts of all energy sources:[21]

• It occupies less land area per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated than any other energy conversion system, apart from rooftop solar energy, and is compatible with grazing and crops.
• It generates the energy used in its construction in just 3 months of operation, yet its operational lifetime is 20–25 years.
• Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution produced by its construction are small and declining. There is very little emission or pollution produced by its operation.
• In substituting for base-load (mostly coal power) in mainland Australia, wind power produces a net decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
• Modern wind turbines are almost silent and rotate so slowly (in terms of revolutions per minute) that they are rarely a hazard to birds.[21]

Landscape and heritage issues may be a significant issue for certain wind farms. However, these are minimal when compared with the Environmental effects of coal. However, when appropriate planning procedures are followed, the heritage and landscape risks should be minimal. Some people may still object to wind farms, perhaps on the grounds of aesthetics, but their concerns should be weighed against the need to address the threats posed by climate change and the opinions of the broader community.[17]

Overseas experience has shown that community consultation and direct involvement of the general public in wind farm projects has helped to increase community approval.[22] Some wind farms become tourist attractions.[23]

The Garnaut Climate Change Review, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the Mandatory Renewable energy Target announced by the Australian Government involve a reduction in Australian greenhouse gas emissions. Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita in the developed world[24][25] and wind power is well placed to grow and deliver greenhouse gas emission cuts on a cost competitive basis. A typical 50-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Australia can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 65,000 and 115,000 tonnes a year.[26]

Based on the 2010 figures for electricity production of 5 TWh nationally, it is estimated that wind power saved Australia 5,100,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions in that year. In relative terms, that is calculated to be the equivalent of removing 1,133,000 cars from the nation's roads.[27]

From 2001 to early 2006, the main driving force for the establishment of wind farms in Australia was the Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET).[28][29] However, by mid-2006, sufficient renewable energy had been installed or was under construction to meet the small MRET target for 2010. Also, in 2006, several Federal Government Ministers spoke out against a number of wind farm proposals.[29]

Mark Diesendorf has suggested that the Australian Government has tried to stop the development of wind power, the lowest-cost, new, renewable electricity source, until such time as coal-fired power stations with CO₂ capture and sequestration and possibly nuclear power stations were available. However, "clean coal" technologies may not be commercially available for at least 20 years. Furthermore, to bring down the high cost of nuclear power to a level where it could compete with wind power would require a new generation of nuclear power stations that is still on the drawing board, which could take at least 15 years.[29]

In November 2007 when the Rudd (Labor) government was elected in Australia, it ratified Australia's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, promised a target of 20% renewable power by 2020 and to do more to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, several new wind power projects were proposed in anticipation of an expanded MRET.

Government subsidies for wind farms is a substantial incentive for investors but adds to the cost of electricity for consumers.

Australia's total wind generation capacity of 1,880 MW in 2010[34] was considerably lower in comparison to many other developed and developing nations, ranking 15th globally behind leaders such as China with 44,733 MW, the US with 40,180 MW, Germany with 27,215 MW, Spain with 20,676 MW, and India with 13,066 MW.[35]

In terms of installed capacity per head of population, Australia ranked 18th in the world in 2010, with 0.086 kW per person. This was only around one eighth of world leader Denmark, which had 0.675 kW per person, while other top countries were Spain with 0.442 kW per person, Portugal with 0.344 kW per person, and Germany with 0.334 kW per person. The top two countries in terms of total capacity, China and the US, only ranked 27th and 9th in terms of capacity per head, with 0.033 kW per person and 0.128 kW per person respectively.[35]

While Australia produced almost 2% of its electricity from wind power in 2011,[27] in comparison to other countries it again lagged well behind world leaders in 2010. Again Denmark topped this list, accounting for approximately 19% of electricity production, with Portugal at 18%, Spain at 16%, and Germany at 9%. Global leaders in terms of total capacity, China and the US, had contributions as a percentage of total electricity supply closer to that of Australia, with 1.2% and 2% that year respectively.[35]

• Energy policy of Australia
• Australian Renewable Energy Agency
• List of large wind farms
• Renewable energy in Australia (including Hydropower in Australia)
  • Solar power in Australia
  • Geothermal power in Australia
  • Biofuel in Australia
• Renewable energy debate

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wind power in Australia.

• Miskelly, Andrew (2010). "Wind Farm Performance". Retrieved 8 October 2010. Australian wind energy production since 14 May 2008 (data from AEMO)
• List of useful links about renewable energy in Australia
• Renewable Energy Atlas of Australia
• Why Australia needs wind power by Mark Diesendorf
• SA Electricity Industry Supply Planning Council 2005 Wind Study
• Sustainability Victoria Wind Energy: The Myths and the Facts
• The base-load fallacy by Mark Diesendorf
• Integrating wind energy in the Australian National Electricity Market
• Australian wind energy projects