Southern Hemisphere's Largest Wind Farm Opens
The $1 billion, 420 MW Macarthur Wind Farm is owned by Australian-based AGL Energy and New Zealand-based Meridian Energy.
The $1 billion, 420 MW Macarthur Wind Farm, described by Vestas as the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, opened April 11 in Australia. This farm was the first to purchase the Vestas V112-3.0 MW wind turbine and is owned by Australian-based AGL Energy and New Zealand-based Meridian Energy. Companies on four continents contributed to its construction, engineering, and technology, according to Vestas, a large wind turbine manufacturer. The Vestas CEO, Ditlev Engel, was on hand for the opening ceremonies.
Vestas' news release said with this installation, it has installed more than 50 percent of the cumulative wind energy capacity in Australia, and the 168 MW Musselroe project will come online later this year to raise that to almost 60 percent.
"Vestas is strongly committed to the Australian market and very pleased to have such good working relations with our key customers here," Engel said. "Australia is now enjoying the benefits of large-scale clean energy investment and jobs, thanks to its Renewable Energy Target. Bipartisan support for this policy is a crucial element in creating the long-term business certainty to make billion-dollar investments like the Macarthur project a reality."
"The V112-3.0 MW is the perfect solution to meet our need for a highly productive and cost-effective turbine for the medium wind speeds on the project site," AGL Energy Managing Director & CEO Michael Fraser said.
Visit this site to see a five-minute video of the farm's construction.