The tallest wind turbines, complete with the longest blades yet seen in Australia, have arrived in Port Hedland and have started embarking on the 300 km road trip to their new home at Fortescue’s first wind farm in the Pilbara.
The turbines, sent to Australia by Chinese wind maker Envision Energy, will feature 89 metre long blades, twice as long as a Boeing 737, according to Fortescue.
The turbines will also be the tallest in the country, elevated to heights of 188 metres (rotor or hub height) and a blade tip height of 277 metres by a unique “self lifting” tower technology developed by Spain’s Nabrawind, now owned by Fortescue.
The self lifting technology allows for simpler and quicker tower erections, less concrete, and elevates the blades themselves where there is generally more wind.
Fortescue says the 51 turbine blades will be transported along the 300 km route from port to the site of the 132 megawatt (MW) Nullagine wind project in coming weeks. It should be a lot easier to negotiate than the hilly country on the east coast, although a lot of the travel will be on dirt roads.
