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We’re harnessing the power of the wind in the Wheatbelt.

The electricity system is transforming as we explore renewable energy solutions for a more decarbonised energy future. We’re expanding renewable generation capacity in the SWIS through SynergyRED with a range of new projects, including wind farms such as King Rocks Wind Farm.

Location

The King Rocks Wind Farm is located within the eastern Wheatbelt region of WA. The Shire of Kondinin is located 250km east of Perth, encompassing the towns of Kondinin, Karlgarin and Hyden. 

This wind farm sits approximately 35km north-east of Hyden and is primarily used for agricultural farming purposes including crop and grain production.

 

Layout and size

The King Rocks Wind Farm represents an installation with the capacity to generate up to 150MW of electricity. The project includes up to 30 wind turbines and associated infrastructure such as roads, transmission lines and substation facilities.

Towers up to 150 metres tall with turbine blades of up to 90 metres long will bring the total height of each wind turbine up to around 240 metres. The layout of the wind turbines will be determined once our SynergyRED team and project participants have completed comprehensive technical studies of the site. 

 

Progress

The Shire of Kondinin approved SynergyRED’s development application for this project in November 2022.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2024 with the King Rocks Wind Farm projected to be generating electricity from 2025.

Once complete, it’s estimated that annually this project will generate enough electricity to power up to 100,000 average homes in WA for a year.

 

Key project dates

November 2022  Development application approved 
Mid 2023 Contract partner selected
Early 2024 Construction commences
Late 2024 First turbine installed (expected) 
2025 Construction works completed (expected) 
2025 Expected commissioning 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was King Rocks chosen for this wind farm?

After closely monitoring the level of wind in the King Rocks area, our energy experts have identified this as an area with strong overnight winds. This means the site offers a quality wind resource which could generate electricity alongside generation from solar PV systems, which only generate during the day when the sun is shining.

The site is also close to Western Power’s existing transmission lines. This means not as much new network infrastructure needs to be built to support the project, which creates cost and production efficiencies.

The King Rocks Wind Farm site was chosen because of its low intensity agricultural usage – and the majority of the land at the site has been cleared for some time. The project design aims to allow for pockets of vegetation to be retained and the way the land is used for rural purposes, that will be largely unaffected.

How long will the wind farm take to build?

Once construction has begun, it’s estimated that the project could take between 18 and 24 months to complete.

How many wind turbines will be installed?

This number is still being scoped by our SynergyRED project team, however up to 30 wind turbines could be installed on the site at King Rocks as part of the project.

How big is each wind turbine?
The King Rocks wind turbines are planned to be up to 150 metres tall with blades up to 90 metres long. This brings the total height up to around 240 metres, which would make the wind turbines some of the tallest in WA.
Is wind power more expensive that other types of electricity generation?

Land-based, utility-scale wind turbines such as the ones planned for King Rocks Wind Farm actually provide one of the lowest-priced electricity generation sources available today. 

Wind generation technology has improved significantly in recent years, so today’s wind turbines are larger and produce electricity at a lower cost than before. Taller turbines, increased rotor diameter and larger generators allow more power to be produced per turbine than ever before.

As wind generation technology advances, it’s anticipated that the cost competitiveness of wind power will also continue to improve.

We're here to help

If you have questions about this project which aren’t answered here, please email us and someone from our team will be in touch.

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