Australia has some of the best wind resources in the world, and the establishment of wind farms plays a pivotal role in both the transition towards renewable energy and reducing Australia’s CO2 emissions. Here, we explore how tailored cable solutions improved the efficiency and reduced installation waste during construction of the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm.
Wind energy stands as a cornerstone of sustainable power generation, harnessing natural air currents to produce electricity. Australia, with its expansive territories and consistent winds, presents a prime landscape for wind energy development.
The combination of abundant wind resources and advanced turbine technology has facilitated the establishment of wind farms, marking a significant shift away from fossil fuel-based electricity generation. This transition not only reduces Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions but also plays a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
In alignment with the vision for a sustainable future, Marais Laying Technologies Australia – a subsidiary of the Tesmec Group – partnered with Nexans to design, manufacture, supply, install, and test 275km of 33kV collector cables for what became the largest wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere – the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm.
A landmark project
Stockyard Hill Wind Farm is situated 35km to the west of Ballarat, features 149 turbines with a capacity to power 390,000 homes and reduce CO2 emissions by approximately two million tonnes annually. Nexans’ involvement in this landmark project was instrumental in reducing the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), thereby advancing the scalability of wind farms and facilitating the attainment of a 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2025.
Tailored and sustainable solutions
To address the unique challenges posed by large-scale wind projects, Nexans leveraged its expertise to deliver tailored solutions, optimising cable configurations and energy transmission systems. In this project, Nexans’s WINDLINK cable solutions, characterised by continuous manufacturing processes, facilitated an efficient cable network layout with minimal joints, thereby reducing labour and installation waste.
In addition to providing cables, Nexans offered comprehensive end-to-end services, including underground junction chambers (UJC’s), indoor terminations for substation connections, and tower end ring main unit (RMU) connections, further streamlining wind installations and reinforcing its commitment to sustainable energy transition.
By delivering high-quality cables and components for the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm, Nexans ensured maximised
the project’s operational efficiency, averting power losses and minimising costly shutdowns. With a track record of reliability and technical expertise, coupled with substantial production capacity, Nexans continues to solidify its position as a leader in Australia’s renewable energy transition through this project.
Since 2018, Nexans has undergone a transformative journey, placing energy transition at the core of its strategy,
with a focus on sustainable electrification. As a key player and strategic partner in wind energy, Nexans has a proven reputation for cable reliability and technical expertise, with substantial production capacity, which features Nexans always standing at the forefront of powering Australia’s energy transition towards a more connected and sustainable future.
This sponsored editorial is brought to you by Nexans. For more information,
visit nexans.com.au.
Featured image: young maintenance engineer team working in wind turbine farm at sunset. BBSTUDIOPHOTO/Shutterstock.com
