Waubra Wind Farm

{{short description|Wind farm in Australia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=May 2012}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = Waubra Wind Farm

| name_official =

| image = Waubra Wind Farm-2.jpg

| image_caption = Waubra Wind Farm in 2020

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|-37.347917|143.600208|region:AU_type:landmark|display=inline}}

| country = Australia

| location = Waubra, Victoria

| status = Completed

| construction_began = December 2007

| commissioned = July 2009

| decommissioned =

| cost = A$450m

| owner = Acciona Australia

| operator = Acciona Australia

| employees =

| ps_units_operational = 128 × 1.5 MW

| ps_units_manu_model = Acciona AW-77/1500

| wind_hub_height = {{convert|80|m|ft|0}}

| wind_rotor_diameter = {{convert|77|m|ft|0}}

| wind_rated_speed =

| ps_site_area = {{convert|173|km2|ha|0}}

| wind_farm_type = Onshore

| wind_site_elevation =

| wind_site_usage =

| wind_site_area =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 192

| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 37.5% (projected)

| ps_annual_generation = 630 GWh (projected)

| website = {{URL|http://www.acciona.com.au/projects/energy/wind-power/waubra-wind-farm/}}

}}

The Waubra wind farm is located on both sides of the Sunraysia Highway 35 km north-west of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. Upon its completion in July 2009, it was the largest wind farm in Australia and was the largest wind farm by number of turbines and total capacity in the southern hemisphere.

Consisting of 128 wind turbines, with associated substations and an operations centre, each wind turbine has a capacity of 1.5 megawatts (MW). The total installed capacity is 192 MW.{{Cite web |url=http://www.waubrawindfarm.com.au/waubra/index.htm#Project |title=Waubra Wind Farm |access-date=7 May 2007 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221732/http://www.waubrawindfarm.com.au/waubra/index.htm#Project |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|title=Waubra Wind Farm {{!}} ACCIONA {{!}} Business as usual|url=https://www.acciona.com.au/projects/waubra-wind-farm/|access-date=2021-10-14|website=www.acciona.com.au|language=en|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308121647/https://www.acciona.com.au/projects/waubra-wind-farm/|url-status=live}} The turbines have a tip height of 119 metres,{{Cite web|title=Waubra Wind Farm Fact sheet|url=https://mediacdn.acciona.com/media/xqrbizi2/waubra-wind-farm-fact-sheet.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=14 October 2021|archive-date=10 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910190223/https://mediacdn.acciona.com/media/xqrbizi2/waubra-wind-farm-fact-sheet.pdf}} rotor diameter of 77 metres and a hub height of 80 metres.{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Lucas|title=Acciona AW-77/1500 - 1,50 MW - Wind turbine|url=https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/778-acciona-aw-77-1500|access-date=2021-10-14|website=en.wind-turbine-models.com|language=en|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120074814/https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/778-acciona-aw-77-1500|url-status=live}} Annually the farm is projected to generate 630 GWh of energy over the life of the project, for an annual capacity factor of 37.5%.

The green energy generated by the wind farm each year provides electricity for 138,000 households enough to power a city 3-4 times the size of Ballarat.{{Cite web |url=http://www.breaze.org.au/resources/documents/doc_view/356-ballarat-energy-use-a-emissions |title=Ballarat's Energy Use and Emissions - Stats & Facts. Breaze.org.au |access-date=26 September 2013 |archive-date=2 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302082508/http://www.breaze.org.au/resources/documents/doc_view/356-ballarat-energy-use-a-emissions |url-status=live }}

Acciona Energy formed a Community Reference Group (CRG) for the construction phase of the Waubra wind farm, to provide a regular forum for community input to the project and to facilitate communication between members of the Waubra community and the wind farm project team.{{Cite web |url=http://www.waubrawindfarm.com.au/index.htm |title=Welcome to Waubra Wind Farm |access-date=7 May 2007 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221745/http://www.waubrawindfarm.com.au/index.htm |url-status=live }} In 2010 the anti-wind farm lobby group the Waubra Foundation adopted the name of the nearby town.

The construction of the Waubra wind farm received financial assistance as part of the Victorian State government's Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET).

In July 2011 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation 4 Corners program explored health concerns connected with Australian wind farms in its [https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/against-the-wind/2810478 Against the Wind] report. The Waubra wind farm and the community living around it was featured in the report.

A viewing platform designed by Melbourne-based firm JOH Architects{{Cite web |url=http://www.joharchitects.com.au/waubra-viewing-platform/ |title=JOH Architects |access-date=17 November 2015 |archive-date=10 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910064907/http://www.joharchitects.com.au/waubra-viewing-platform/ |url-status=live }} is accessible to tourists and located just off the Sunraysia Highway.