October 2016
The Albany Wind Farm is situated about 12km from the city and almost 18km from The Gap & Natural Bridge. We visited the farm on our way back from The Gap. The wind farm is one of the largest in Australia and is located on the south-western side of the Torndirrup Peninsula, where The Gap and the Natural Bridge is located too.
Commissioned in October 2001, the turbines are on an elevated position 80m above the Southern Ocean close to the beach. The height and locality were determined to tap and maximise the local wind conditions. Being a short distance to the main electricity grid, it makes this site an efficient wind farm. It has 18 wind turbines generating a capacity of 35.4mW of electricity producing 80% of Albany’s electricity needs with clean, renewable energy.
The huge turbine generating electricity.
Location of the Wind Farm from The Gap & Natural Bridge.
The gigantic turbine from afar. As the blades swings, it produces a non-stop ‘whooosh- whooosh’ sound.
As we climbed up the slope, we see more turbines towards the back.
The turbines each has three 35m long fibreglass and kevlar blades fitted to a 65m towers. These turbines at the time of installation, were the largest that have been installed in the southern hemisphere. They operate automatically, with the blades self-adjusting to the wind condition to generate maximum power output.
The farm stretches for a few kilometers back.
From a lower elevation, the turbine towering over the bushes.
— More photos of the wind turbines as dusk starts to set in. —
The wind farm is open to the public every day of the year and you are free to visit when you wish. At the wind farm there is a car park, extensive network of boardwalk, information panels, plus a connection walk to the Bibbulmum track.
Path up the hill-top at the wind farm.
From the hill-top, view towards Albany.
The wind farm as seen from across Albany town from Mount Clarence.
Short write-up on the construction of the wind turbine.
A bit more info.
