Grasmere will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 43,500 tonnes per year from electricity production, uivalent to taking 10, 0 cars off the road. / By early 2012 the CoUgar Wind Farm, Albany moves closer to renewable currently under construction in the energy export goal Wheatbelt, will be generating enough Verve Energy's $40 million Grasmere Wind Farm electricity to power more than 100,000 project in Albany will be producing clean, sustainable Western Australian homes. energy by early 2012. Officially launched in August last year, Collgar Wind The six-turbine Grasmere Wind Farrn will be installed at Farm is a $750 million renewable energy project the western end of the highly successful Albany Wind consisting of 111 wind turbines with a generation Farm. Though they have different names, the wind capacity of 206 megawatts. It is located approximately farms will merge. 25 kilometres south east of Merredin. Once completed, it will be the largest wind farm in WA "Albany Wind Farm was our first big wind farm and it and the largest single stage wind farm (and renewable is exciting to return to add to this successful renewable energy) development in the southern hemisphere to energy site," Verve Energy Managing Director Shirley date. In't Veld said. Comrnercial scale Buoyant Actuator (BA) unveiled in Henderson in October 2010. Collgar Wind Farm Chief Executive Officer Alistair Craib "Wind energy has a key role in producing clean energy said the wind power project would bring immediate and Albany has enthusiastically embraced wind energy. and significant economic benefits to the region and the Verve Energy is pleased to add to the wind energy local community. produced at the city to assist Albany to move closer to its goal of being a net exporter of renewable energy. "During the construction phase Collgar is expected to employ up to 150 people over the two-year "Grasmere Wind Farrn will play a role in delivering more construction period as well as ongoing roles during of Western Australia's electricity needs from renewable the 25 year operational period, which will have a large sources." spin-off for local services," he said. The wind turbines will be similar in size to those On cornpletion of construction (currently forecast installed at the Albany Wind Farm but at 2.3 MW, each as April 2012), Collgar Wind Farm will on will generate 30 per cent more power. The 14 MW average generate and deliver 792,000 MWh of Grasmere Wind Farm will produce around 44 gigawatt clean, renewable electricity into the South West efil virOfllrneflltal hours of electricity each year and, together with Albany Interconnected Systern (SWIS) power grid each year, Wind Farm, will produce 104 GWh to rneet 80 per cent producing enough electricity to power approximately •• a • 125,000 WA homes. of Albany's electricity needs with clean inexhaustible dernonstrat d renewable energy. Alistair said the project would take the penetration of renewables in the SWIS frorn five per cent to nine per Grasmere will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas cent. ernissions by 43,500 tonnes per year from electricity production, equivalent to taking 10,000 cars off the "This is a significant energy project for the state and it road. will provide a sustainable flow of clean energy for future generations of Western Australians," he said. .