Esperance Wind-Gas System

Esperance, an isolated town on the south coast with a population of approximately 12,500, benefited from a major new power system in 2004.

A new gas-fired power station, new gas pipeline and new wind farm were built to boost the town's electricity supply. The electricity network was upgraded at the same time.

The power station has high-efficiency, low-emission gas turbine generators. It is manned, controlled and operated in Esperance and monitored remotely from Perth. Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by up to 30% as a result the new generators.

Burns Roe Worley own and operate the power station.

Natural gas for the new power station is supplied via a new gas pipeline from Kambalda.

The new wind farm consisting of six Enercon E40 600kW tubines, was built at Nine Mile Beach. It offsets greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 9,500 tonnes per annum based on diesel generation and 6,500 tonnes based on gas generation plant. It powers the equivalent of 2,500 homes.

The Nine Mile Beach project is supported by the Australian Government through the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program. The Program is implemented by the State’s Sustainable Energy Development Office in Western Australia.

Nine Mile Beach wind farm operates in conjunction with the Ten Mile Lagoon wind farm, commissioned in 1993, which comprises nine 225kW Vestas V27 wind turbines.

Australia’s first wind farm

Australia’s first wind farm was built in Esperance - the 360kW Salmon Beach Wind Farm.

It commenced operation in 1987 and operated successfully for nearly 15 years before being decommissioned in 2002.

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