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Wind farms will bring more jobs and investment to Gippsland
22 August 2003
A Victorian wind farm developer plans to invest $100 million locally and regionally in the construction of its two proposed wind farms at Wonthaggi and Bald Hills in South Gippsland.
Wind Power Pty Ltd said today the two projects would create up to 90 jobs during construction, generate ongoing income for local landowners and further indirect employment in local services and tourism.
The managing director of Wind Power, Steve Buckle, said local contractors would be needed for road, crane and foundations works, installation of electrical transformers, cabling, fencing and tree planting.
The company will seek to construct the wind towers in the Latrobe Valley and hire regional professional services with expertise in project management and civil, mechanical and environmental engineering.
“The towers alone will cost over $40 million to manufacture, and we hope to do that in the Valley. On top of that, we think we will spend up to another $60 million locally and regionally, which in total we estimate will create about 90 jobs for the two-year construction phase,” he said.
The Wonthaggi and Bald Hills projects are currently subject to planning approval from the State Planning Minister, who will consider the recommendations of separate independent panels convened to assess the environmental impacts .
If built, the wind farms will generate a total of about 120 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity and reduce Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions significantly. Compared with electricity generation from coal- and gas-fired power stations, the two wind farms will save about 490,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - equivalent to the output from 115,000 cars.
“There are few infrastructure developments that are demonstrably good for both the economy and the environment - but wind farms are among them,” Mr Buckle said.
Wind Power also believes the economic benefits of wind farming extend well beyond the construction phase.
“Participating landowners will earn a significant and secure income over the operational life of each farm in the form of site rental payments, achievable at no cost to them and with little impact on their other farming operations.
“For those farmers taking part, these projects are a godsend and I have no doubt that wind farming can strengthen rural communities and help to slow the fragmentation of farmland and the encroachment of residential developments.”
In addition, evidence from existing facilities in Australia and elsewhere suggests that wind farms have a positive effect on regional tourism.
“The Codrington wind farm in western Victoria is attracting about 50,000 visitors a year. A tour company has been specifically set up to meet tourism demands and West Coast Rail offers day tours of the farm. I believe facilities such as Wonthaggi and Bald Hills, which are relatively close to Melbourne, will also be able to attract a significant number of tourists,” he said.
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For more information, contact Steve Buckle on 0414 444 971 or Brett Wright 03 9654 3522