Wind energy giant Goldwind has added two more projects to its pipeline as it progresses towards its ambition to power a million Australian homes by next year.
The turbine-maker has entered an agreement with Energy Developments to deliver the wind farm project at the Gold Fields Agnew Gold Mine hybrid renewable energy project in the northern goldfields region of Western Australia.
The Agnew project, which received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency as part of ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program, is the first Australian mine to use wind generation as part of a large hybrid microgrid.
The 18MW wind farm will consist of five GW140, 3.57MW Goldwind wind turbines, at 110-metre hub height. Energy Developments is engaged to design, construct, own and operate the microgrid in two stages, under a 10-year agreement with Gold Fields.
Goldwind will provide EPC services to the project with joint-venture partner NACAP.
The company has also been awarded a contract to supply and install its turbines at the Biala Wind Farm project in the Southern Tablelands of NSW.
The 108.5MW wind farm, owned by BJCE Australia, will consist of 31 GW140, 3.57MW Goldwind wind turbines at 110-metre hub height.
Goldwind provides operation and maintenance services at the nearby Gullen Range Wind Farm, also owned by BJCE Australia.
“Goldwind looks forward to working together with BJCE Australia and the local community during the construction and operation of Biala Wind Farm,” said Goldwind Australia managing director John Titchen.
“The locally based Goldwind team, which has been in the area for over seven years, will be expanding to deliver the Biala project.”
BJCE Australia deputy general manager Derek Powell said the Biala Wind Farm will bring the company a step closer to achieving its goal of 1GW of installed renewable generation in Australia by 2023.
“We are excited to share this renewable project and milestone with our long-term partner Goldwind,” Powell said.
Goldwind recently confirmed research funding for the UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute and opened the Goldwind–UNSW Joint Laboratory at the university’s Sydney campus.
Goldwind and UNSW partnered in 2017 and since then Goldwind has committed about $1.4 million in funding to support research initiatives and knowledge exchange opportunities.
“We’re pleased to continue to support UNSW’s focus in using cross-disciplinary research to find solutions to the challenges of our digital grid future,” Titchen said.
UNSW deputy vice-chancellor enterprise Professor Brian Boyle said the Digital Grid Futures Institute will play a critical role in future-proofing global energy systems to ensure reliable and affordable sustainable energy.
Goldwind has set itself the task of powering one million Australian homes by 2020 using its wind turbine technology.