Tools & Resources
RPG Australia Secures Capital Wind Farm Contract
RPG Australia will use over 6,500 tonnes of Grade 350 XLERPLATE® steel in the construction of wind towers at Lake George, NSW, which when finished will stand approximately 80 metres high with a base diameter of 4.3 metres.
| Location: | Lake George, New South Wales |
| Country: | Australia |
| Client: | Suzlon Energy Australia |
| Manufacturer: | RPG Australia |
| Products Used: |
AS/NZS 3678 - 350 XLERPLATE® steel |
RPG Australia has secured a contract to manufacture wind towers for the Capital Wind Farm at Lake George in New South Wales.
The Capital Wind Farm is an expansive undertaking, with an overall capital value in excess of A$300 million.
Leading international wind energy company Suzlon Energy Australia awarded RPG Australia the contract to manufacture 43 wind towers.
The giant wind towers must be sturdy enough to withstand huge wind gusts of up to 210 kilometres per hour and are built to precise international standards using finest quality materials.
RPG Australia will use over 6,500 tonnes of Grade 350 XLERPLATE® steel in the construction of the towers, which when finished will stand approximately 80 metres high with a base diameter of 4.3 metres.
The towers will be manufactured in four sections, then fully blasted and painted. They are fitted with platforms, cables and ladders before being transported by road to Lake George.
RPG Australia, which acquired wind tower specialists Air Ride Wind in 2006, has become a leading manufacturer of wind towers. Its Adelaide plant has manufactured and supplied many of Australia's existing wind farms including Starfish Hill, Lake Bonny, Wattle Point, Hallett, Snowtown, and Cathedral Rocks; many of which have also been constructed using XLERPLATE® steel.
RPG Australia Wind Division General Manager Mike Lewis said RPG Australia has had longstanding success using XLERPLATE® steel in its wind tower construction projects.
"XLERPLATE® steel has proven itself as a first choice material for our wind tower manufacturing business. It meets our stringent criteria in terms of performance quality. We use steel from BlueScope Steel because it is Australian made, supports domestic industry and offers flexibility advantages," Mr Lewis said.
A$20 Million Investment
"We'll be working closely with BlueScope Steel to meet Sulzon's exacting standards and to manufacture the towers on time.
"To fulfill the Capital Wind Farm contract, RPG Australia will require an investment of approximately A$20 million to expand its facility in Dalby, Queensland, which will result in a major boost for the local economy." Mr Lewis said this would create up to 45 long term skilled jobs for Dalby.
"This project has had positive implications for a number of different regions," Mr Lewis said. "Wind energy is a growing global market. We are now seeing the signs of sustained growth in investment in wind power in Australia. This is particularly exciting for us, and we are positioning ourselves to take up the challenges of this clean energy market segment."
When complete, the wind farm will be capable of generating in excess of 400,000 megawatt hours per year of electricity without any emissions from burning fossil fuels. This will offset the equivalent of approximately 390,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year.*
* Calculated using the New South Wales pool greenhouse gas coefficient.
