The decommissioning and revegetation of Synergy’s former wind farms in Esperance is complete, with new vegetation growth springing to life across the landscape.
Synergy has rehabilitated the former Ten Mile Lagoon and Nine Mile Beach wind farms over the past year, focusing on planting native species and building a self-sustaining ecosystem to match the surrounding flora reserve.
Related article: Australia’s oldest wind farm to be decommissioned
Synergy partnered with local Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC), to undertake seed collection and planting to support native flora growth.
The site is now home to a diverse range of vegetation, including eucalyptus and melaleuca trees, native flowering shrubs and grasses, supporting the area’s return to its original natural landscape.
A focus of the decommissioning has been to recycle and reuse wind farm infrastructure. Two wind turbines have been donated to North Metropolitan TAFE to give students at WA’s first Clean Energy Training Centre hands-on experience with equipment.
Six of the turbines are being used for renewable energy generation in local agricultural facilities, with a further six to be installed for a similar purpose later this year. The tower concrete foundations were also gifted to a local contractor for reuse.
Related article: Decommissioned wind turbines to be re-purposed in WA
Synergy will continue ongoing monitoring for several years to assess and support vegetation growth.
