Monday 14 May 2007

Tassie strikes a big blow

Hobart Mercury
Saturday 12/5/2007 Page: 7

THE biggest wind turbines in the southern hemisphere will be churning out enough power for 30,000 homes from the state's North-West this weekend. Roaring 40s has just finished the final stage of the Woolnorth Wind Farm, completing 25 new towers and turbines. The turbines generate three megawatts each, with the blade tips reaching 125 metres into the sky - or more than twice the height of Wrest Point casino.

Roaring 40s public relations manager Josh Bradshaw said it made the operation the biggest wind farm in Australia. "It's an exciting weekend for all of the team who have been working up there." Mr Bradshaw said. The $170 million final stage at Woolnorth began construction in January last year, the beginning of a long process to built the 80-metre towers. Each tower has four 45-metre-long blades. In total, the Woolnorth operation will generate 140 megawatts of power, including the two previous stages.

Mr Bradshaw said it had more than likely reached its capacity, which could see an end to wind energy expansion in Tasmania for some fillip "What we would like to do next is build Musselroe," he said. The Musselroe project in the north-east was well advanced before the Federal Government ended its Mandatory Renewable Energy Target scheme, which gave incentives to clean energy production. Roaring 40s put the project on hold. "We are encouraged by the NSW scheme which [Premier Morris] lemma says lie will implement." Mr Bradshaw said. "It has capacity for projects outside NSW, but we'll have to wait and see what the detail involves."

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