Goldwind Breaks Ground on Gullen Range Wind Farm
Joint Media Release by Transgrid and Goldwind
28 November 2012
Goldwind is very pleased to announce the start of construction at Gullen Range Wind Farm, in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales (NSW).
The commencement of works is a significant milestone for the project, which is the second in Australia to host Goldwind’s cutting edge Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) wind turbines. These turbines feature a gearless design with low lifetime maintenance costs, high reliability and power output, and robust grid compatibility.
The Gullen Range Wind Farm will utilize both 56 2.5 MW wind turbines and 17 1.5 MW wind turbines representing a total renewable energy capacity of 165.5MW. The wind turbines were designed by Goldwind‘s seasoned global R&D team. The installation is the first to use Goldwind’s 2.5MW PMDD turbines.The 2.5 MW series represents the next generation of Goldwind’s internationally-recognized PMDD wind turbines. Over 7,000 Goldwind PMDD wind turbines representing over 10 GW of capacity have been installed and commissioned.
Goldwind Australia’s Project Management Team is overseeing the construction Gullen Range Wind Farm. The consortium of Civil & Allied Technical Construction (Catcon) and Consolidated Power Projects (CPP) were awarded the Balance of Plant (BoP) contract. Catcon is also acting as the principal contractor for the project, while TransGrid is designing and constructing the grid connection works. In June, Gullen Range Wind Farm was offered connection by TransGrid, representing the first major wind farm since early 2011 to receive a connection offer from TransGrid.
Locally-sourced products and services include:
- Civil, electrical and crane site works
- Local supply of 17 x 85m wind turbine towers
- Construction of the 330kV grid connection assets; and
- Local logistics services and a number of engineering support services for the project.
“Most of the wind farm construction activities will be completed by the end of 2013 with the connection due to be completed in December 2013. This project will contribute to the cost effective achievement of the Australian Renewable Energy Target,” said John Titchen, Managing Director of Goldwind Australia.
“Goldwind entered the Australian renewable energy market in 2009 in order to contribute to the economically efficient achievement of the Australian Large Renewable Energy Target (LRET). The multi-party commitment to the RET provides confidence in the market and has provided a strong context for our investments,” John said.“The NSW transmission network is an efficient and secure platform to connect the Goldwind Gullen
Range Wind Farm to the national grid,” said Mr Peter McIntyre, Managing Director of TransGrid. He also mentioned, “TransGrid’s connection agreement with Goldwind demonstrates our commitment to facilitate the connection of new generation into Australia’s national electricity market.”“The energy industry is undergoing a period of significant change and transmission networks will be a key facilitator in the shift to lower emission and renewable energy generation sources,” he said.
“We are pleased to be involved with this flagship renewable energy project which will promote employment in the local region and in the long term contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions,” said Mr. John Allen, BoP Project Director of Catcon/ Consolidated Power Projects (CPP).
About TransGrid
TransGrid is the owner, operator and manager of the NSW high voltage network connecting generators, distributors and major end users in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
TransGrid’s network includes over 12,600 kilometers of transmission line and links to Queensland and Victoria, facilitating interstate energy trading.
TransGrid’s currently connects over 4,000 Megawatts of renewable energy in NSW and is progressing applications to connect additional renewable generation to its network. For more information, please visit www.transgrid.com.au
About Catcon and CPP
Civil & Allied Technical Construction Pty Ltd (trading as CATCON) is a dynamic and progressive company, service-focused in outlook, professional and focused in the activities. CATCON is referred to as a tier 2 company/head contractor, with operations and projects across metro, regional and remote Australia, consistently listed in the Top 100 companies in SA, successful in numerous excellence awards and ranked as one of the leading civil construction companies in Australia.
Consolidated Power Projects Australia Pty Ltd (CPP) is an electrical engineering company that specialises in providing full turnkey high-voltage solutions for power distribution and transmission companies; industrial and mining companies and for owners and developers of renewable energy projects.
CPP offers a fully integrated service covering the entire scope of project management, detailed design, specification, procurement, on-site delivery, installation and construction, site management and testing & commissioning.