Albany Wind Farm, Western Australia
Albany wind farm is approximately 12km south-west of the city centre. It is in an elevated position approximately 80m above the Southern Ocean. This height, proximity to the coastline and small distance to the main electricity transmission system make this an exceptional wind farm site. The Albany wind farm consists of twelve 1800kW wind turbines connected to the Albany electrical system and control network. The turbines are ENERCON E66 machines from Germany and were installed by Enercon Power Corporation, an Australian Company. The turbines have a 65m tower and three 35m long blades, making them one of the biggest available in the world at that time, and the largest to be installed in the southern hemisphere. The turbines operate automatically, with the three blades adjusted to maximise power output from any wind direction or strength. They have been designed to withstand the strongest winds likely in Albany and incorporate special lightning protection. The Albany Wind Farm, which officially opened in October 2001, was ten years in the planning. The wind turbines do not have gearboxes, which helps keep maintenance to a minimum. The turbine operates at variable speed, which means that the blades speed up and slow down with the wind. The blades move very slowly reaching a top speed of 22 RPM in the strongest of winds (which is only one revolution every three seconds). In an average year the wind farm produces about 77000000 units of electricity, though this does vary …
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