ENGIE has marked the 20th anniversary of Canunda Wind Farm near Millicent and Mount Gambier in South Australia by announcing a 10-year extension of the project.
The 46MW wind farm generates enough clean energy to power an average of 30,000 homes across South Australia, and boasts a high wind yield by global standards.
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The 8km long site contains 23 turbines reaching heights of 107m from the base of the tower to the tip of the blade. They can generate power from wind speeds as little as 4m/sec (14km/h) and reach their maximum design production at 13m/sec (47km/h).
ENGIE managing director of renewables Laura Caspari said, “ENGIE’s Canunda Wind Farm was commissioned on 30 March 2005, making it one of the oldest in South Australia, and it has been a cornerstone of renewable energy for nearly two decades.
“When Canunda was commissioned, it was expected to have a 20-year operational life. A recent life extension assessment completed between ENGIE and turbine manufacturer Vestas has determined that Canunda’s design life can be extended by another 10 years. Rather than retire the project, we’ve been able to push its operational lifespan to 2035.
“This extension means 10 more years of clean energy for South Australia’s grid and continued contributions to ENGIE’s renewable energy goals.”
The construction of the Canunda Wind Farm was one of ENGIE’s first projects in Australia. At the time, Australia’s East Coast National Electricity Market grid included around 10% renewable energy, compared to around 40% today.
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“ENGIE has a global ambition of having 95GW of renewable power and batteries in operation by 2030. Australia is a priority contributor to this ambition, with world class wind and solar resources and a rapidly decarbonising grid, with the Australian government’s goal of achieving 82% renewable energy by 2030,” Caspari said.
“We look forward to building on the legacy of Canunda with the many advances made in the industry over the last 20-years, from technological advancements, to how to generate energy alongside farming activity, to how to be a contributor of good jobs and economic development to the communities in which we are hosted.”
