Emu Downs Wind Farm

Emu Downs Wind Farm
File:Emu downs Gnangarra-1.jpg Wind turbine at Emu Downs
Country	Australia
Location	Western Australia
Coordinates
Status	Operational
Construction began	November 2005 (2005-11)
Commission date	October 2006 (2006-10)
Construction cost	$180 million
Owner(s)	APA Group
Wind farm
Type	Onshore
Hub height	68.5 metres
Rotor diameter	82 metres
Power generation
Units operational	48
Make and model	Vestas V82
Nameplate capacity	80 MW
Annual generation	262 GWh (2007/08)
Website http://www.apa.com.au/our-business/energy-infrastructure/western-australia.aspx

The Emu Downs Wind Farm () is a 79.2 MW wind farm in Western Australia. It was a joint development between Stanwell Corporation and Griffin Energy. The site is approximately 200 kilometres north of Perth, near Cervantes. Construction of the $180 million project commenced in November 2005, and the project was commissioned in October 2006.

Emu Downs consists of 48 Vestas wind turbines (each with 1.65 MW generating capacity), a substation, interconnection to the main 132 kV electricity grid, administration and stores buildings, and a network of access roads. The wind farm is close to the coast, with a good quality wind resource that has increased wind speeds and reliability aligning with periods for peak power demand.

The wind farm provides electricity to run a desalination plant, 260 km (160 mi) to the south. The Kwinana Desalination Plant, located just south of Perth, turns water from the Indian Ocean into nearly 152 million litres (40 million gallons) of drinking water per day.

Emu Downs is accredited under the Australian Government's Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and as a Green Power Generator by the Sustainable Energy Development Authority.

In June 2011, the wind farm was acquired by the APA Group for $170 million from the failed Griffin Group.

External links

• Official website