ACCIONA Energía will have a 157.5 MW wind farm under its ownership in Victoria (Australia) following an award in the renewable energy tender called by the State Government of Victoria announced today. Mortlake South wind farm represents capital expenditure of 288 million Australian dollars (177 million euros at the current exchange rate). Construction work will begin in early 2019 and completion is expected in mid-2020. With the wind farm, the company will increase its renewable capacity in the country by 36% to 592 MW.

The wind farm will generate clean energy equivalent to the electricity consumption of almost 80,000 Australian households, avoiding the emission of over 532,000 tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere per year from thermal power stations. It will create approximately 100 jobs, including around 10 ongoing roles during operations.

“This auction result broadens and deepens our investment in Victoria and Australia more generally,” said Brett Wickham, ACCIONA Energy Australia’s Managing Director. “We’re pleased that our track record and long-term, low-risk focus has been recognised, and we look forward to working with the Government, local suppliers and local communities to get these facilities up and running.”

With storage

The Mortlake South wind farm project is designed with thirty-five 4.5-MW Nordex turbines.

It will also incorporate an energy storage installation with the aim of improving its performance and facilitating its grid integration.

Mortlake South will be the fifth wind farm owned and operated by ACCIONA in the country after Cathedral Rocks (64 MW in South Australia), Gunning (46.5 MW in New South Wales), and Waubra (192 MW) and Mt. Gellibrand (132 MW), both in Victoria.

Australia is a strategic market for ACCIONA Energía, which has invested more than 1.3 billion Australian dollars (814 million euros) in the country since it started operations there in 2002.

Photo Caption: Mt. Gellibrand wind farm, the last of those installed by ACCIONA in Australia