Stockyard Hill Wind Farm

Stockyard Hill Wind Farm is a wind farm project in Victoria (Australia). In October 2022 the project completed its hold point tests, and was approved by the Australian Energy Market Operator and Network Services Provider to generate up to its maximum capacity of 511MW into the National Electricity Market.

The development was initiated by Windpower Australia and bought by Origin Energy. In May 2017, Origin sold the development to Goldwind Australia for A$110 million and signed a power purchase agreement to buy the electricity and Renewable Energy Certificates for less than A$60/MWh.

The facility consists of 149 approved wind turbines at a site approximately 35km west of Ballarat between Beaufort and Skipton. The forecast cost is A$900 million (US$750 million) In December 2009, the original plan for 242 turbines, the plan was changed to only have 157 turbines. The Victorian minister of planning approved the 157 turbines, in October 2010.

In 2013 Origin contemplated selling the project before production would have begun, but decided to continue the project.

Construction commenced in May 2018 on a design that has 149 wind turbines. The final turbine installation occurred in December 2020 and operations began in July 2021. The Goldwind 3S turbines have a capacity of 3.57 MW, with a hub height of 110 metres, tip height of 180 metres, and rotor diameter of 140 metres. The farm is projected to generate 1900 GWh of energy annually, at a corresponding capacity factor of about 40.9%. It will power approximately 425,000 homes annually. Origin Energy has a power purchase agreement to buy all electricity until 2030.

Operations
The wind farm registered its first grid output in July 2021. In June 2022, the wind farm reached an output of 508.4MW, or 99.49% of its maximum registered output of 511 MW. Note: Asterisk indicates power output was limited during the month.