About the wind farm

How many turbines does Granville Harbour Wind Farm have?

The wind farm comprises 31 wind turbines.

How much power does the wind farm generate?

Granville Harbour Wind Farm can generate up to 111.6 megawatts in total – that’s enough clean energy to power around 46,000 average Australian homes.

How is the wind farm connected to the grid?

A new 11-kilometre long, 220kV overhead electrical transmission line was constructed to connect Granville Harbour Wind Farm to the electricity grid. The transmission line runs from the wind farm substation to the Reece Dam and Power Station where it joins the existing grid. The approved alignment for this line was designed to follow existing roadways and power line easements to minimise clearing of vegetation

Who buys the energy generated by the wind farm?

Hydro Tasmania will purchase electricity from the Granville Harbour Wind Farm under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). 

Who owns the wind farm?

Granville Harbour Wind Farm is owned by Palisade Investment Partners (50.2%) and First Sentier Investors (49.8%).

The wind farm is managed by Palisade Integrated Management Services..


What type of turbines does Granville Harbour Wind Farm use?

The wind farm comprises 31 Vestas Platform V126 3.6 MW wind turbines.

How tall are the wind turbines?

Each wind turbine reaches almost 200 metres above ground level at the blade tip. The towers are 137 metres tall and each blade is 62 metres long.

How fast does the wind need to be blowing for the turbines to operate?

Each wind turbine operates independently.  Sensors located on each turbine consistently assess wind speed and direction and manoeuvre to make best use of available wind resources.

Turbines will start operating at speeds of approximately 10km per hour. To protect equipment from damage, turbines will stop operating and turn out of the wind when wind speeds exceed 90km per hour.

How do wind turbines work?

The blades of the wind turbine are rotated by the wind. As the blades turn, they rotate the main shaft of the turbine which is connected to an electrical generator. Through gearboxes, the generator converts the spinning movement (known as kinetic energy) into electricity.

The wind turbines are grouped together and linked to the wind farm substation using underground cables.

The diagram below shows the various components that make up each wind turbine:


When did the wind farm first start generating electricity?
Granville Harbour Wind Farm began generating electricity in February 2020 and reached its full 111.6 MW output capacity in December 2020.
How many people are employed to operate the wind farm?

A team of six permanent employees are needed to support the ongoing operations and maintenance of the wind farm. The majority of these employees will be based at the wind farm site.

What do the site operations team do?

Like any machine, wind turbines need to be regularly serviced and maintained to ensure optimal energy generation. On average, each individual wind turbine will be checked, serviced and maintained every six months.

What does the wind farm do to support the local community?

Granville Harbour Wind Farm is committed to making a positive contribution to the West Coast region. Our Community Grants Program will continue for the operational life of the wind farm and provides funding for local initiatives that aim to benefit the community in the areas of community participation, sustainability and safety. 

How long will the wind farm operate for?

Granville Harbour Wind Farm is expected to operate for 25 to 35 years.  After that time, the asset will either be refurbished and updated or decommissioned, and the site returned to its original state.

Can members of the public access the site?

No. Granville Farm is private property and therefore not accessible to the public.

Does Granville Farm still operate as a beef cattle farm?

Yes, Granville Farm continues to graze cattle on its 1200 hectares of prime pastures and continues to produce some of Australia’s highest quality grass fed beef.


How does the wind farm manage bushfire risks?
The wind farm operations team works closely with local emergency services to properly assess bushfire risks and management strategies. Mitigation measures are also in place at the wind farm site – such as adequate and properly maintained fire-fighting equipment.
Will wind farm operations have any impact on local protected species?
We have strict Environmental Management Plans in place to ensure native wildlife and vegetation is protected during wind farm operations, and conduct regular monitoring to continually assess any impact on the local environment.
Are wind farms noisy?
No. Wind turbines are highly efficient in creating energy using simple mechanical components and the power of the wind.  Blades are aerodynamically designed to move through the air with as little resistance as possible. This means that turbines are very quiet, particularly when compared to the noise of the wind itself.