GERMANS TO BUILD WIND IN AUSTRALIA

The big renewable energy companies are evolving now in ways similar to the way companies like Standard Oil and Ford did at the turn of the last century. Here Conergy, a German giant, is making a move into the Asia-Pacific wind market. And NewEnergyNews recently reported on Ted Turner's New Jersey-based DT Solar making its move into the west. Damned exciting to see the future unfolding.

Conergy plans $2 billlion wind farm
October 8, 2007 (Reuters via Melbourne Herald Sun)

WHO
Conergy (Andrew Durran, Executive director) and Epuron, Conergy's wholly-owned subsidiary.

The proposed Conergy wind installation would be in the southwestern Australian state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, the country's biggest city. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
- Conergy, a power in the solar energy industry, proposes to build a 1000 megawatt wind farm in Australia, the country’s largest.

WHEN
- In September, the Howard government committed itself to obtaining 15% of Australian electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
- The state in which Conergy will install the wind farm committed itself to obtaining 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
- Wind farm construction will begin in 2009 and finish in 3-4 years.

WHERE
- The wind farm will be in the southwestern state of New South Wales near the towns of near Silverton and Broken Hill.
- Conergy is based in Hamburg, Germany.

WHY
- The farm would consist of 500 turbines. It would cost $2 billion.
- The politically mandated support for renewables played a significant role in Conergy’s commitment to the project.
- Conergy has 15% of Australia’s solar energy market.

The windfarm would be in the far western part of the state near Broken Hill.(click to enlarge)

QUOTES
Durran, Conergy: "Its success will be very much hinged on strong government legislation on renewable energy targets…"