Winds of change worth $135m

Port Pirie Recorder
Tuesday 5/2/2008 Page: 1

A $135 million wind farm is set to turn the rural setting of Clements Gap into a leader in the fight against climate change. National renewable energy company Pacific Hydro says the area southwest of Crystal Brook will be home to the landmark project. This comes after a long journey for both the company and landholders, with approval first granted in 2003. The project takes on special significance because it is the first wind farm since the new Federal Government increased the renewable energy target. It is also the company's first wind farm in South Australia.

The project, consisting of 27 wind generators, 17 kilometres of access tracks, 15 kilometres of power line and a transformer, is expected to generate enough power for at least 25,000 homes. Company spokeswoman Emily Wood expected the project to reap benefits comparable to a similarly sized wind farm in Portland, Victoria, which had 85 businesses and about 320 people working on site during construction. She hoped construction would start in six to eight weeks' time.

The first stage will involve building roads and foundations for the generators. The next stage will be putting the generators in place - not an easy task considering each measures 35 metres in length while the piece connecting these to the tower is the size of a mini-bus. A site manager will be appointed to manage the building work which is expected to take up to two years. Ms Wood said masts were installed on site to monitor the wind.

As a result, the project became a priority. "It is a fantastic site and we have a great community and a fantastic council that is really supportive," Ms Wood said. As well as hospitality, tourism and retail sectors benefiting, smaller community groups will also see spinoffs from the wind farm. The company offers a Sustainable Communities Fund with about $50,000 provided to local groups every year during the life of the project.

Past recipients have included kindergartens and sporting groups. "We want to support this activity and encourage a great environment for the community to live in," Ms Wood said. Mayor Geoff Brock said it was fantastic to see the project come to fruition. "I congratulate Pacific Hydro for not losing enthusiasm... I am looking forward to the first foundation going ahead," he said. "It is an opportunity for economic growth in the region."

The multi-million dollar Clements Gap wind farm has brought a dream to life for Brian and Jill Wilson. The couple is among eight landholders whose properties provide the site for the 27 wind generators that form the new farm. While renewable energy has only come into the spotlight in recent years with the advent of climate change, it is not a new concept for the Wilson family.

"My father had a wind generator to make power at home," Mr Wilson recalled. "Even when I went to school, there were wind farms in the United States." Mr Wilson said his father would have to turn off the generator at night because strong gully winds meant the battery would get too hot. "I always knew it was a windy place," he said. "I always pictured this would be a good site for a wind farm... it is a fairly unique spot." He was a driver in the project, contacting developer company Pacific Hydro after seeing an advertisement in the Stock Journal.

Company representatives door-knocked the area, discovering mostly positive feedback for the idea. "I think it is a real bonus having really good community support for it," Mr Wilson said. "The flow-on to the bigger community is huge. For Crystal Brook and Port Pirie, it is going to be great. Monitoring masts were put up on the Wilsons's property to check wind. Mr Wilson said as a farmer it was rewarding to be involved with a project tackling climate change. "If we can do our little bit to try to reverse it, that is great," he said. "We do not want the droughts and extremes of climates that we have had."