The first of 12 Vestas V136-3.6 MW wind turbines has been installed at the 60.2 MW Kennedy Energy Park, the world’s first utility-scale, on-grid wind, solar and battery energy storage project situated near Hughenden
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The milestone was achieved last Monday, as a 750-ton lattice-boom mobile crane finished lifting the last 67-meter blade of the first turbine. With a hub height of 132 meters and a 136-meter rotor, the Kennedy Energy Parkturbines deliver increased annual energy production by capturing more wind resources.
“This is a great achievement and significant milestone for Kennedy,” said Peter Cowling, Country Head of Vestas Australia and New Zealand, “we are now one-step closer to completing this revolutionary project, which has the potential to leverage Australia’s abundant renewable energy resources while ensuring a consistent and reliable electricity supply.”
Kennedy has 20 MW of solar panels and 2MW of lithium ion battery storage. The project is developed by Canberra-based Windlab Limited and Japan’s Eurus Energy Holdings Corp. A consortium between Vestas and Quanta Solar is delivering the engineering, procurement and construction.
As the blades are put into place, other parts of the energy park are also well into construction. The 50,000 solar PV panels are being installed and significant upgrades to the high voltage substation at Cape River are on-going.
Charles Wright, President of Quanta Solar said pile installation, pile testing, mechanical assembly of the solar PV panel system and underground cabling trenching continued. “The structural steel and plant and equipment erection is nearing completion in the 132/66kV switchyards at Cape River and Jardine Creek (located at the energy park),” he said.
“Quanta Solar is also installing major electrical equipment, including batteries and overhead power lines which interconnect the wind turbines to the grid.”
Windlab CEO Roger Price said this was an important milestone.
“With this project, we are generating significant local employment and leading the nation in the deployment of innovative and reliable renewable energy, capable of closely matching electricity network demand.”
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
