Thursday Island is one of the Torres Strait Islands and is located approximately 39km north of Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland.

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Thursday Island’s wind turbines are some of the oldest operating in Australia and demonstrate the suitability of renewable energy in Australian conditions.

Ergon isolated networks manager Dane Thomas said, “It’s great to see the turbines in the air once again. Thursday Island has once again welcomed the winds of change and is embracing a renewable energy future after leading the way when the wind farm was established in 1997,” he said.

“While this was cutting-edge technology when it was initially installed, it was due for a major overhaul, so the generating equipment was shipped to a specialist facility in South Australia while the towers were maintained onsite.

“With the completion of this $2 million project we have improved the reliability and efficiency of the wind turbines, which can generate enough energy to support around 100 high-use homes and are expected to save several thousand litres of diesel a week,” Thomas said.

To date, the wind turbines have generated more than 18,921MWh of renewable energy and savings of 220,000L of diesel a year on average.

As part of its commitment to decarbonising remote communities, and in consultation with the local councils and traditional owners, Ergon Energy Network is pursuing a range of renewable energy options on Thursday Island, including solar solutions.

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“While the turbines can produce a lot of clean energy when the wind is blowing they won’t be as productive during those calm periods, known as ‘the doldrums’, and that’s why we need a mix of energy solutions,” Thomas said.

“There is widespread community interest in harnessing the power of the sun and we are working together with the council and other agencies to find the most suitable options and support a renewable energy future.”

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The blades have been installed on an existing wind turbine in Breuna, Germany. Using laminated veneer lumber (LVL) as a material is more sustainable than current materials and enables noticeably better recycling of decommissioned blades, a high level of automation, and more flexibility.

Related article: The race to make zero-waste wind turbine blades

Standard wind turbine blades are made of fiberglass and carbon fibre bound together with epoxy resin—a material that is difficult and expensive to break down. While up to 90% of wind turbines are recyclable, the blades are currently not.

“At the end of their lifecycle, most blades are buried in the ground or incinerated. This means that—at this pace—we will end up with 50 million tonnes of blade material waste by 2050. With our solution, we want to help green energy truly become as green as possible,” Voodin Blade Technology CEO Tom Siekmann explains.

Voodin Blade Technology’s wooden wind turbine blades are made of LVL. Wood is a much more sustainable raw material than the currently used composite materials.

The company uses CNC milling machines that are particularly effective in creating complex 3D shapes. This allows for a high level of automation, as no mold is needed in the manufacturing plants.

By increasing the level of automation, the need for labor decreases. As a result, manufacturing does not need to be done in countries with lower labor costs, where it is currently often done. This then means that production is also possible closer to the wind farms, allowing transportation costs and emissions caused by transportation to be reduced.

Furthermore, wood, and especially LVL, are highly durable materials; even more durable than the currently used composite materials. Voodin Blade Technology has conducted laboratory testing to ensure the material will thrive in even the toughest conditions of onshore wind energy production, which takes up approximately 85% of the current wind energy sector.

Related article: End-of-life plan needed for wind turbine blades, study says

“We have conducted hundreds of laboratory tests during the past two years to perfect the blade material. According to all our tests, our blades are even more durable than the existing fiberglass blades, as they show fewer fatigue characteristics and are proven to endure all kinds of onshore weather conditions extremely well,” Voodin Blade Technology co-founder Jorge Castillo says.

The company is building new prototypes, including bigger 60m and 80m blades, as a next step.

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Two wind turbines will be donated to North Metropolitan TAFE for students studying clean energy and six will be repurposed at new wind farm sites.

Related article: New process to recycle wind turbines wins funding

Synergy commenced the decommissioning of Esperance’s coastal wind farms in 2022. During decommissioning, the wind turbines, site offices and other ancillary infrastructure are removed from the site, followed by the revegetation of roads and foundation pads.

Synergy thermal generation general manager Angie Young said, “Ten Mile Lagoon and Nine Mile Beach wind farms are no longer required and have been inactive for a number of years.

“Sustainability is a core focus at Synergy and we are committed to ensuring the site’s infrastructure will be reused and repurposed.

“We’re excited to be able to support our future workforce by donating some of the turbines to North Metropolitan TAFE, furthering renewable energy education in WA.”

North Metropolitan TAFE managing director, Michelle Hoad welcomed the donation of two wind turbines to its Midland campus, which will soon become home to WA’s first Clean Energy Training Centre.

“This donation will give students the opportunity to work on real industry infrastructure to gain the skills they need to enter the clean energy workforce. It is integral to North Metropolitan TAFE’s mission to skill Western Australians for a clean energy future,” she said.

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The dismantling, transportation and refurbishment of the wind turbines will be undertaken by WA company Advanced Energy Resources.

Internal road bases and tower concrete foundations will be donated to the Shire of Esperance for reuse in the Goldfields-Esperance region.

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Related article: Vestas offshore wind turbine sets new output record

The new offshore blade factory is planned to be located at a site in northern Szczecin, which Vestas acquired in February 2023. The site is close to the Ostrów Brdowski Island in Szczecin where Vestas’ planned nacelle assembly factory would be located. The assembly factory is expected to start operations in 2025.

“Vestas intends to lead the development of a sustainable supply chain in Europe that can deliver the scale needed to meet the expected growth in demand for offshore wind. Our plans for two new offshore factories in Poland underline that Europe can spur wind industry investments and green jobs with the right long-term policy commitments for offshore wind projects,” Vestas chief operating officer Tommy Rahbek Nielsen said.

The new factories are planned to support European and to some extent global demand, playing a crucial role in supporting Poland and the European offshore wind market and industry.

With the two new factories in Szczecin together with Vestas’ already existing footprint, Vestas is expected to soon employ more than 2,500 people in Poland.

Related article: Plibersek vetoes Vic’s renewables terminal at Port Hastings

Vestas expects the new blade factory to begin operations in 2026.

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On Friday, Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny released her assessment of the project, following the preparation of an environmental effects statement and completion of a planning inquiry.

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Her recommendations included widened turbine-free buffer zones for endangered brolga and bats, which would reduce the number of turbines and the farm’s energy output, along with a five-month moratorium on construction throughout the brolga breeding season.

Clean Energy Council director of energy generation and storage Dr Nicholas Aberle said the decision reveals the urgency of reform to address broader challenges affecting the confidence of investors and industry in responsibly developing new projects critical to climate action and the energy transition.

“The decision relies on draft brolga standards which have not been finalised or approved by government, and European standards developed for European bats.

“The arbitrary requirement for a five-month window in which construction is not allowed to proceed has been imposed without being evaluated through an already time-intensive Environmental Effects Statement process. This is not supported by evidence and is simply not workable in practice for any wind farm.”

Dr Aberle said unpredictability from planning processes created unnecessary risk for investors, which would affect decisions to support future project development, particularly where other jurisdictions are taking supportive action to expedite approvals processes.

Related article: Clean energy investment pipeline battles headwinds

“Industry are conscious of the importance of minimising the environmental impacts of clean energy projects, but without reform to approvals processes for these projects, we cannot effectively address the climate crisis that is threatening every single species and ecosystem on the planet.

“The Clean Energy Council are in ongoing discussions with the Victorian Government to discuss how these challenges can be solved, so that this unfortunate outcome does not occur again, with little or no forewarning.”

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Engineering researchers have won a £125k grant from renewables investor Greencoat UK Wind to develop their innovative process to recycle wind turbines.

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“The deployment of offshore wind is crucial to enhancing energy security, advancing affordable energy for all, and not least curbing the climate crisis. Today, wind produces energy with a 99 % lower carbon footprint than coal, but on the scientific path to net-zero, we must limit the carbon that the manufacturing of materials and components used in wind farms emits. This is also becoming increasingly demanded by consumers of renewable energy and policymakers,” the companies said in a joint statement.

Related article: Majority of Australian wind turbines can avoid landfill

Meeting this need requires cost-efficient solutions to address the most critical decarbonisation and circularity challenges in the wind industry, namely steel and blades. To address these challenges, Ørsted and Vestas will install low-carbon steel towers and, when commercially available, blades made from recycled materials at all future joint offshore wind farms.

By committing to integrate sustainable procurement not just as a one-off but in all future offshore projects between the two companies, Ørsted is creating ongoing demand for Vestas’ innovative low-carbon and circular solutions.

Ørsted CEO and group president Mads Nipper says, “There’s no playing defence when it comes to climate change. And no progress without partnerships. That’s why we at Ørsted are very proud to partner with Vestas to integrate and scale cutting-edge decarbonisation and circularity solutions to meet future customer demands for net-zero wind farms. Together with Vestas, we’re leading the industry towards net-zero, and I urge decision-makers across the globe to also take action and help drive demand for low-carbon and circular solutions within renewable energy.“

Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen says, “The energy transition requires unprecedented scale and pace, and we need strong partnerships between leading companies and industries to succeed. We are excited to partner with Ørsted to expedite the deployment of our cutting-edge circular blade recycling technology and foster the demand for low-carbon steel in the wind industry’s supply chain. This partnership is a leap forward for developing circular wind power projects and sends a powerful message that commercial agreements and collaboration are vital in our urgent fight against the climate crisis.“

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The partnership entails that for all joint future offshore wind farms, the two companies will procure and install a minimum of 25 % low-carbon steel towers in joint projects, and scale circular blade recycling technology and procure blades made from recycled materials.

Apart from the commitments on low-carbon steel towers and circular blade recycling, the companies have also pledged to explore other areas of collaboration within sustainability, including within biodiversity to ensure a build-out of renewable energy in balance with nature.

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To coincide with the Australian Wind Industry Summit in Melbourne, the Clean Energy Council has released its landmark report, Winding Up: Decommissioning, Recycling and Waste Management of Australian Wind Turbines.

With wind farms continuing to become a more prominent fixture in Australia’s energy transformation, local communities hosting wind farms are interested in understanding their sustainability footprint over the long term. As of 2023, 31 wind farms totalling 599 turbines across Australia are over 15 years old.

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“Australia’s wind energy sector leads the pack among other industries in integrating sustainability into their supply chains, with multiple pathways available for wind turbines to be reused, repurposed or recycled later in their lifespan,” Clean Energy Council CEO Kane Thornton said.

As highlighted in the report, between 85-94% of a wind turbine (by mass) can avoid landfill disposal, with an array of applications for their components. These range from recycling or repurposing raw materials to partial or full recommissioning of turbines via service life extension or even reuse in future projects within Australia.

“While a majority of components can be sustainably recycled, the industry is seeking to go further and eliminate waste disposal during the end-of-life pathways, including composite materials such as carbon fibre and fibreglass commonly used in turbine blades,” Thornton said.

“Australia’s economic recovery and future prosperity will be driven by clean energy. With wind already accounting for more than a third of generation capacity, it will also shape the circular economy as it grows over the next few decades.”

Related article: Faulty wind turbines banned following unsafe incidents

Key points from the report:

• There are currently 110 wind farms operating across all Australian states and territories.

• There are currently 31 Australian wind farms, comprising a total of 599 turbines, that are over 15 years old.

• A wind farm typically has a nominal design life of 20-30 years, though some wind farms are now designed for a minimum operating life of 30 years.

• An estimated 15,000 tonnes of blade composite waste will have been created in Australia by 2034 due to decommissioned wind farms, and up to 4000 tonnes in any given year.

• Approximately 85–94% of a wind turbine (by mass) is recyclable and can be recycled in Australia—mostly steel, aluminium, copper and cast iron. This is well above the national average for commercial and industrial waste streams in 2018-19 (57%) and the National Waste Policy Action Plan target (80% average resource recovery rate across all industries by 2030).

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The turbines supplied by ASG, which trades as Australian Wind and Solar (AWS), have led to dangerous incidents where blades have detached at high speeds and components have fallen up to 12 metres.

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The ban applies unless ASG or Falzon can demonstrate to Energy Safe that the turbines comply with the relevant Standards.

Energy Safe said it was aware of several incidents that have occurred across Victoria.

Energy Safe has prohibited ASG and Adam Falzon from supplying turbines or componenet of turbines, unless certain conditions are met, under Section 63(2) of the Electricity Safety Act 1998.

Energy Safe believes the turbines and turbine components supplied by ASG are likely to become unsafe to use due to their design or construction and fail to satisfy relevant Standards.

Energy Safe is aware of 47 locations where the turbines have been installed. Energy Safe continues to contact turbine owners to alert them to the safety risks.

Energy Safe CEO Leanne Hughson said the energy safety regulator had carried out an extensive investigation into the safety of the small wind turbines supplied by ASG.

“The decision to ban a product is never made lightly, however it’s clear that the turbines supplied by ASG are unsafe,” Hughson said.

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“Energy Safe is focused on ensuring all forms of energy are safe as we increase our reliance on more renewable and sustainable forms of power.

“We expect that all energy product suppliers and installers supply products that are safe, comply with relevant Australian Standards and can be safely operated.”

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The COBRA Joint Industry Project has been set up to investigate the damage caused to leading-edge wind turbine blades from the high-speed impacts of foreign objects, such as raindrops, and identify how best to develop protection systems. Rain erosion damage can be significant on unprotected wind turbine blades.

While the damage caused doesn’t often impact the structural integrity of a blade, it can influence energy generation over the life of a turbine due to degrading the aerodynamic performance of blades.

Therefore, DNV GL has partnered with Vestas, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, LM Wind Power, Ørsted, Mankeweicz, Akzonobel, Aerox-CEU, Polytech, Hempel and PPG, to take up the challenge of analysing the effect that rain erosion damage can have on the blades of operating wind turbines.

Related article: 96 turbine sections hit the road in Tas

The outcome of the Joint Industry Project will be a recommended practice for designing a protection system against rain erosion, which will be published by July 2020. The cross-industry working group aims to address the following technical topics:

• Identify and define relevant material properties for a protection system
• Develop and methodology to handle and derive design loads from rain data
• Develop a model to conduct raindrop impact analysis
• Develop a design methodology for leading edge protection systems.

Head of Blade Materials, Offshore Technology at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Steffen Laustsen said with the trend of building larger machines continuing, greater research is required to provide more protection for wind turbine blades against rain erosion.

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“The high blade tip velocities associated with large blades makes the impact of rain especially demanding,” Mr Laustsen said.

“We look forward to collaborating with the Joint Industry Project partners across all industries to improve the quality and durability of future blade designs.”

DNV GL executive vice president, Americas Rich Barnes said increasing the performance of wind turbines and blades is crucial for the transition to a cleaner energy system.

“Erosion of blades is affecting the global wind industry,” Mr Barnes said.

“There is currently a lack of methods and design protection systems to prevent blade erosion, so it is vital to identify solutions and develop tools to tackle erosion problems.

“The COBRA Joint Industry Project will address these challenges and share knowledge to advance the understanding within the wind energy industry.”

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During the next week, 96 sections of wind turbine towers, each weighing almost 150 tonnes, will make their short initial trip from Burnie Port to a holding facility behind Bunnings Warehouse before they move on to their final destination, the Granville Harbour Wind Farm.

The 52 metre-long, 6.1 metre-high wind turbine components will be escorted by State Growth Transport Safety Officers along Port Road, Bollard Drive, Bass Highway and Marine Terrace every half hour between 7:00pm and 7:00am daily. They will be some of the largest road-based movements ever seen in Tasmania.

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The Tasmanian Minster for Energy Guy Barnett’s office says this is another milestone in delivering its Tasmania First energy policy to make the state fully renewable and have the lowest regulated power prices by 2022.

Granville Harbour alone is being developed with an investment of $280 million and is supporting some 200 jobs during construction with 10 more to continue on an ongoing basis once operational.

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With Granville Harbour and Cattle Hill under construction, and Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain in the pipeline, more than 350 construction jobs have already been injected into regional communities with more than 400 construction jobs and 95 ongoing roles on the table. This will be a huge economic boost for the West Coast and North West.

The development of new wind farms in Tasmania also represents another step in its Battery of the Nation pumped hydro plans that will drive billions in investment and create thousands of jobs in Tasmania.

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The company’s latest report ‘Wind Turbines, Update 2018, Global Market Size, Competitive Landscape and Key Country Analysis to 2022’ reveals the buoyancy in the market is largely due to the global investment trends in renewable energy to address power sector challenges.

Amongst established renewable energy technologies, solar and wind are prevalent due to the availability of resources across the world. Power sectors in countries are moving towards improving energy security, self-sufficiency, and addressing climate change issues; driving the utilisation and deployment of clean energy technologies such as wind as a power generation source, GlobalData says.

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In the forecast period, Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the market value, with an aggregate of $93.85bn, followed by Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) with an aggregate market value of $88.77bn. However, EMEA is expected to outrun Asia-Pacific in terms of market value for offshore wind installations.

Analyst at GlobalData Nirushan Rajasekaram said there are growing concerns regarding environmental impacts of industrial activities and geo-political risks, which are prompting governments to utilise clean energy resources available within the country.

“…the market opportunities are attracting a plethora of potential investors and stakeholders driving down equipment costs, promoting technology development, and thereby creating a conducive market for wind turbines,” he said.

The APAC region led onshore wind turbines and will continue to do so in the future. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 2.4 per cent, during the period 2018-22 to reach $17.24bn in 2022. The need to improve access to electricity, increasing consumption of electricity, and strong industrial market are primary driving factors for onshore wind turbines market, GlobalData found.

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The growth in the APAC region is largely contributed by China, which has established comprehensive development plans focused on utilising renewable energy to sustain its growth and market ambitions to strengthen its position as a global leader in wind technology development.

In the offshore market, EMEA dominated the market and will continue to lead in the future. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.6 per cent to reach $5.16bn in 2022. EMEA’s dominance is largely driven by the European market. The strong technology base in Europe has contributed to the large deployment of larger wind turbines to capitalise on the significantly larger wind power resource.

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World-leading UNSW Sydney researcher Professor Joe Dong has secured the funding for research projects including an Australian-first lab to test wind technology.

The lab is the first stage of a memorandum of understanding signed at the UNSW China Centre Inauguration in Shanghai this year, and will build on ongoing research between UNSW Engineering and Goldwind, the largest wind power technology and development company in China and one of the largest internationally.

“Wind power, along with photovoltaics, is the most important renewable energy for the future,” Professor Dong said.

“This memorandum of understanding includes building the joint test facility at UNSW, which will be the first of its kind in Australia.

“Further investment from Goldwind will fund research projects covering wind power studies, energy internet, wind turbine noise control and water processing technologies.”

Wind power is the cheapest source of large-scale renewable energy, after hydro.

It involves generating electricity as wind turbines capture wind energy within the area swept by their blades.

The spinning blades drive a generator that produces electricity for export to the national grid.

The grid requires electricity to be delivered at a frequency of exactly 50 Hertz, and while wind power generation is generally reliable, problems can occur when wind speed changes rapidly causing the turbines’ output to vary, which may destabilise the grid.

“Wind power is an established technology and in most cases dependable, although there are some remaining problems to be solved in efficiency, stability and frequency control,” Professor Dong said.

“Currently, we do not have a facility in Australia to test wind turbines before connecting to the grid and so we must do this in the United States or Europe, which is very expensive – and the foreign electricity grids don’t perfectly mimic the Australian system.”

Professor Dong said increased reliability in testing in a new, local lab would contribute to his goal of solving the remaining issues with wind power generation, and place UNSW firmly at the forefront of wind power research in Australia and among leaders internationally.

“Australia is an important market for wind power generators and this agreement with Goldwind demonstrates their commitment to partnering with internationally-renowned researchers to complement their own capability,” UNSW dean of engineering Mark Hoffman said.

“In 2017, wind farms produced 33.8 per cent of Australia’s clean energy and supplied 5.7 per cent of overall electricity during the year.

“I look forward to seeing the fruits of this partnership benefit the renewable energy industry in Australia and boost its long-term reliability for the entire community.”

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The CECEP and Goldwind-owned wind farm is being built to provide a clean, renewable energy source – enough to power 75,000 homes annually. Stage one of the White Rock Wind Farm project consists of 70 turbines that will produce 175MW of electricity.

Among countless contractors bringing this renewable energy project to life is Zinfra, who is putting the finishing touches on the newly constructed 132/33kv substation, secondary and auxiliary systems buildings, and a dual circuit 8km transmission line, to tie the new energy source into TransGrid’s network.

Throughout the project a consultative approach, coupled with Zinfra’s extensive network and electrical knowledge, has led to improved construction methodologies for TransGrid.

Using in-house resources, Zinfra has delivered a broad range of capabilities including electrical, construction, testing and commissioning, pre-energisation commissioning, construction works, SCADA and communications, fibre and the cutting in of new feeders.

Like all projects of this size, delivery has not been without its challenges. The biggest hurdle faced from the outset of the project was an accelerated schedule.

The original delivery timeframe of 35 weeks was shortened by 90 days – that’s a 35 per cent reduction before work even began.

As a national company with extensive resources, Zinfra was able to mobilise extra resources to site in a short timeframe to meet this accelerated delivery schedule. Electricians, linesman, testing and commissioning employees and their support team were brought in to expedite works.

Zinfra’s suppliers also pulled out all stops to help meet tight targets. Secondary systems building fabricator ICS Industries delivered their buildings ahead of schedule, and civil contractor TP Turners worked collaboratively with Zinfra to produce clever solutions to help beat the clock.

Civil works for the substation site were planned in such a way that the different site areas were delivered in stages in order for Zinfra to commence electrical construction while civil works continued concurrently.

The civil team also provided invaluable time saving measures to counter the other big challenge facing crews at the wind farm –inclement weather.

The weather at White Rock Wind Farm is highly changeable and can be wet and windy. Rainy weather, however, has proved the greatest nemesis for this project.

A single day of rain can lead to two weeks of downtime as damp, muddy and slippery conditions make heavy machinery use impossible.

The civil team prepared the substation site in such a way as to mitigate the risk of down time from a downpour. They graded the site well and put down swathes of sheeting to assist with run-off, and facilitate a fast return to work for the construction teams after rain.

Access on site, which extends over a 10km range, was via a single road on which all contractors had to travel.

Constructed for the project, the road was subject to the vagaries of wet weather, the landholders’ livestock and the frequent oversized deliveries of turbine blades and parts.

The dual circuit transmission line runs from the existing TransGrid network at the bottom of the site location, at approximately 900m above sea level, and ends at the substation 1200m above sea level.

The line includes two long spans – one 600m and the other 900m – to breach deep ravines along its path.

The steep terrain and wet conditions meant getting in to clear an easement and erect the 47 transmission poles over 30 sites was no mean feat.

Pointing to some poles emerging from between the trees in the distance, project manager Michael Moczynski said, “They’re my poles out there, you’ve no idea how hard it was to get them in there.”

The erection of the final two dual circuit transmission poles occurred at the end of May when TransGrid scheduled a one-day outage for the works.

Stringing of the cables was expedited by the use of helicopters. After exhaustive preparation, risk mitigation and safety controls were implemented and helicopters successfully strung approximately 26km of cable and OPGW over three days.

Safety First on site has been a non-negotiable, however, on a project of this scale there are always challenges.

“Teamwork has been critical on this site,” Zinfra’s on-site safety advisor Jamie Mills said.

“With crews having to change in and out regularly because of weather delays, it has been important for the crews to communicate well and absorb change.”

Where safety issues have arisen and challenges been faced, Zinfra implemented controls and learnt from experience.

“We have to confront challenges, the worst thing we could do is not learn from them. They are an opportunity to improve,” Mr Mills said.

Mr Moczynski said he was feeling buoyed by the prospect of energisation of the newly constructed infrastructure.

“A lot of people have put in a lot of hard work to overcome the challenges on this project,” he said.

“We couldn’t have achieved what we have without the amazing collaboration displayed by our team with our clients, TransGrid and Goldwind, not to mention all the other contractors on site. We’re proud of what we’ve done here.”

Zinfra is also delivering construction work at the nearby Sapphire Wind Farm for TransGrid.

The CWP-owned wind farm will comprise 75 turbines and, once completed, will supply 110,000 houses with clean energy annually.

The greenfield construction project involves construction of a 330/33kV substation for the and line cut-in works on the 330kV Queensland NSW Interconnector (QNI) to facilitate the wind farm connection to the grid, and includes civil, electrical, testing and commissioning work.

TransGrid awarded Zinfra this project after an eight-month period of joint project development, with value-adds by Zinfra in design and optimisation for construction.

Works commenced in January and the project is scheduled for completion in late 2017.

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