Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Macquarie Capital have completed the sale of the 226MW Murra Warra I wind farm in Australia to Partners Group.
Image: RES and Macquarie Capital sell Australian wind farm. Photo: Courtesy of Jim Frech/FreeImages.com.
RES stated it has secured equity funding for the construction of the first stage of the wind farm. Construction of the wind farm began in March this year and will include 61 turbines.
German wind turbine manufacturer Senvion and Downer, an Australian civil and electrical contract, have been given construction responsibility.
This wind farm will be connected to the grid network by a new terminal station, which will be constructed, owned and operated by AusNet services.
The construction phase is expected to creat nearly 150 jobs in Victoria. The wind farm is anticipated to be fully operational in the middle of next year and will create permanent jobs in operation, monitoring and maintenance works.
The Murra Warra I wind farm will generate enough clean electricity to be supplied to 220,000 Austrailan homes annually, while offsetting nearly 900,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. This is equivalent of removing 320,000 cars from roads each year.
RES Australia CEO Matt Rebbeck said: “Murra Warra is a world class project which will be one of the highest performing wind farms in the southern hemisphere. We have been involved in the Murra Warra development since its inception and we look forward to our continued involvement in the project as construction and asset manager together with the Partners Group team.”
RES and Macquarie Capital have already secured long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for the project with commercial and industrial customers including Telstra, Coca-Cola Amatil, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), the University of Melbourne and Monash University.
RES will continue to involve in the project as construction and asset manager. RES and Macquarie Capital will continue with the development of the stage II of the project will include 55 turbines, as well as solar farm and energy storage project at Murra Warra.