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Waterloo Wind Farm

Coordinates: 33°59′S 138°54′E / 33.983°S 138.900°E / -33.983; 138.900
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Waterloo Wind Farm
Turbines in 2010
Map
CountryAustralia
LocationWaterloo, South Australia
Coordinates33°59′S 138°54′E / 33.983°S 138.900°E / -33.983; 138.900
StatusOperational
Construction began2008
Commission dateNovember 2010 and November 2016
OwnerPalisade Investment Partners and Northleaf Capital
Wind farm
TypeOnshore
Hub height80 metres (262 ft) Vestas V90-3MW
91.5 metres (300 ft) Vestas V117-3.3MW
Rotor diameter90 metres (295 ft)
117 metres (384 ft)
Rated wind speed
  • 15 m/s (49 ft/s)
Power generation
Units operational37 × 3 MW
6 × 3.3 MW
Make and modelVestas V90-3MW
Vestas V117-3.3MW
Nameplate capacity130.8 MW
External links
Websitehttp://waterloowindfarm.com.au/
CommonsRelated media on Commons

Waterloo wind farm is east of Manoora, South Australia. It is the largest wind farm operated by EnergyAustralia.

Site

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External media
Images
image icon Generating power at Waterloo Wind Farm
Video
video icon Waterloo Wind Farm

The wind farm is positioned along a rocky north–south ridge on privately owned property at Waterloo.[1] The 111 megawatt wind farm spreads across five acres of land and cost about $350 million, it began construction in November, 2008 and has been operational since October 2010.

For about two months in 2013, the site was monitored by the Environmental Protection Authority. The wind farm's infrasound and low-frequency noise were both examined.[2] Acoustics firm Resonate conducted noise and meteorological monitoring in the area.[3]

Turbines

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Waterloo wind farm opened with 37 Vestas V90-3MW turbines,[4][5] each 80 metres high, with each turbine blade 44 metres long and weighing about 8 tonnes. The tower sections weigh approximately 90 tonnes in total with the tower and blades combined weighing 125 tonnes. On average the blades turn at 16.2 rpm. There are four levels in a turbine and it takes about five minutes to get to the top.

Each wind turbine produces on average 24 megawatt hours of electricity each day. On a windy day three wind turbines can power the whole of Clare and the whole wind farm can power up to 163,000 homes or 5 to 10% of South Australia.

The wind farm was expanded with six additional Vestas V117 turbines in 2016 at a cost of A$43 million.[6] They have a hub height of 91.5 metres and a rotor diameter of 117 metres, corresponding to a tip height of 152 metres.[7][8][9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Waterloo Wind Farm". EnergyAustralia. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  2. ^ Peter Hannam (14 May 2013). "Power giant cuts stake in controversial wind farm". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Waterloo Wind Farm Environmental Noise Study". Environmental Protection Authority (South Australia). Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Waterloo Wind Farm, a Roaring 40s success". EcoGeneration. Great Southern Press. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Waterloo Wind Farm environmental noise study" (PDF).
  6. ^ "About Us". Waterloo Wind Farm. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Life Cycle of Electricity Production from an Onshore V117-3.3 MW Wind Plant" (PDF).
  8. ^ "Examples of Typical Turbines within the Design Range" (PDF).
  9. ^ "Extension of Waterloo Wind Farm progresses" (PDF).