Tilt Renewables has announced that the Rye Park Wind Farm (RPWF), set to be New South Wales’ biggest wind farm ever built, will commence construction at the end of 2021 – after the 396MW project achieved financial close.
The 396MW wind farm is set to create an estimated 250 direct jobs during the construction phase and up to ten ongoing regional jobs during its operational life, with numerous opportunities for local workers.
The RPWF will be constructed on an elevated ridgeline near the town of Rye Park, near Yassin, in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales. It will utilise 66 Vestas EnVentus V162-6.0MW wind turbines, the latest technology solution from Vestas, maximising energy production and environmental benefits.
The wind farm is owned by Tilt Renewables, which was acquired by Powering Australian Renewables (PowAR), a leading Australian renewable energy provider, in August 2021.
The farm will be fully commissioned by 2024, making it the largest operating wind farm in New South Wales and a key component of the growing PowAR’s renewable energy portfolio.
Construction activity on site will commence in Q4 2021, under a multi-contract structure with the following delivery partners:
- Turbine supply and install: Vestas
- Electrical and civil balance of plant: Zenviron
- Grid Connection: Lumea
About 55 per cent of production from the RPWF has been contracted under a 15-year power purchase agreement with Newcrest Mining Limited, for the supply of electricity and green products to its Cadia gold mine in New South Wales – assisting Newcrest to achieve its corporate emissions reduction target.
Once fully commissioned in Q1 2024, the project will make the following contributions (assuming average wind conditions):
- At least $270,000 per year in community funding
- Significant local and regional economic, social and environmental benefits
- Average annual energy production of 1,188GWh (lifetime P50), equivalent to powering approximately 215,000 homes
- The project will offset 960,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 300,000 cars from the road every year
- Significant native vegetation and fauna offset program, through PowAR
Tilt Renewables Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Dutaillis, said achieving financial close on RPWF represented a significant milestone for the company following the completion of the Tilt Renewables acquisition.
“This is considered the first of many investment decisions that will be made over the coming years as the combined business looks to build out the Tilt Renewables development pipeline, which we consider to be the best in the market,” Mr Dutaillis said.
“We are very pleased to be able to continue our long-standing relationship with our trusted delivery partners, Vestas and Zenviron, to work with our valued customer Newcrest and to further enhance our relationship with Lumea given the strategic importance of the RPWF and our pipeline of development opportunities in New South Wales.”
PowAR is already the largest owner and operator of non-hydro renewable energy in Australia, with a portfolio of over 1,700MW across operating and under-construction solar and wind assets.
“The RPWF will be coming online very soon after the foreshadowed closure of the Liddell Power Station in New South Wales, supporting the transition to a cost-effective, clean energy system and helping the state reach its important energy and environmental ambitions,” Mr Dutaillis said.
