Australia's 240-MW Ararat wind farm generates 1st power

The 240-MW Ararat wind farm in the southern Australian state of Victoria has started generating electricity, it was announced on Tuesday.

The first five of the project's 75 GE turbines are producing about 23 MWh a day.

Less than a year after ground was broken on the site, 25 turbines have now been erected, said Peter Cowling, general manager of GE's wind business in the Asia Pacific region.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) hailed the milestone. "When the ACT’s component of the farm is up and running, the farm will produce enough energy to power 37,160 Canberra homes," said environment and climate change minister Simon Corbell. The ACT component of 80.5 MW is due to be completed in April 2017, he added.

The project won a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the ACT for about 40% of its output in a wind auction at the start of 2015. The ACT government has committed to 100% renewable energy by 2020.

The wind farm is owned by a consortium of UK's Renewable Energy Systems (RES), General Electric Co (NYSE:GE), Swiss investment manager Partners Group Holding AG (SWX:PGHN) and Canada's OPSEU Pension Trust, also known as OPTrust.

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