CASE STUDY: Wind capacity continues to grow in South Australia

Article on SA Biz Website at: http://www.southaustralia.biz/News/2010/04/06/Wind-capacity-continues-to-grow.aspx

Premier Mike Rann says another milestone in the State’s position as a leader in renewable energy will be reached when the 1000th megawatt of wind power is switched on. Mr Rann says the combined investment by private energy companies in wind farms across the State since his Government was elected in 2002 is now nearly $2 billion.

"There are currently two more wind projects under construction with a combined capacity of 150 megawatts (MW). These projects are Infigen Energy's 39 MW Stage 3 project at Lake Bonney and Roaring 40s 111 MW Stage 1 project at Waterloo. Both are expected to be commissioned by July this year," Mr Rann says.

"These wind farms will add to the 868 MW of wind power generation already installed - which means that total wind generation will pass the 1000 MW mark in July. This is another step toward realising our targets. We expect to meet the first target - generating 20 per cent of the State's electricity from renewables - ahead of our 2014 schedule".

"We are also well on the way to achieving our next target of 33 per cent from renewables by 2020, matching California's ambitious target. If South Australia were a nation State, it would rank second in the world behind only Denmark in the amount of wind energy it hosts as a proportion of its total electricity generation. The State Government is investing in a Sustainable Technologies Precinct at the former Mitsubishi site at Tonsley Park that will help to further maximise job opportunities and economic benefits from renewable energy and clean technology industries, including advanced manufacturing."