Grid gains

www.climatespectator.com.au
Thu, 23 Jun 2011


Australia's first community owned wind farm, the two turbine Hepburn Wind, began exporting energy to the electricity grid for the first time on Wednesday. The 4 MW wind farm, located near the town of Daylesford, was initiated and funded mostly by 1700 members of the local community, and will provide more than local needs. "This is a great achievement for the Hepburn Shire Council and community. Six years ago, our community chose to be a beneficiary of the move to clean energy", Hepburn Wind chairman, Simon Holmes a Court said.

"While the political debates about carbon pricing have bogged down, the Hepburn community has built its own wind farm, which will generate enough electricity to offset most of the town". Holmes a Court said more than 45 communities have contacted Hepburn Wind's sister organisation, Embark, about adapting the Hepburn model to create similar community projects, be it in wind, solar or bioenergy. The Hepburn wind farm last week won the Victorian Premier's sustainability award.