About the Wind Farm

The Brewster Wind Farm will consist of up to six wind turbine generators with a combined capacity of approximately 40 megawatts (MW), and will generate enough power for approximately 33,000 homes.

Community Information Sessions

The location of the proposed Brewster Wind Farm is shown on the map below. This site was chosen for the following reasons:

It receives undisturbed wind flow with strong, consistent wind speeds.
There are large setbacks to houses.
There will be minimal effects on flora and fauna.

It is in close proximity to the electrical grid; and
It offers easy access for construction.

Revised Wind Farm Layout

The wind farm layout has recently been revised and now comprises six wind turbine generators. The key changes made to the previous wind farm layout are as follows:

One wind turbine has been removed from the wind turbine layout;
Two wind turbines have moved by approximately 50 m and 20 m respectively;

Four wind turbines remain in the same locations;
The minimum distance between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings remains unchanged—i.e. wind turbines were moved ‘inwards’ away from neighbouring dwellings.

To partially offset the reduction in the overall capacity of the wind farm a more powerful wind turbine model has been adopted, and as a result the capacity of the wind farm remains at approximately 40 MW. The overall height of this turbine model is five metres (5 m) greater than the model we previously proposed, meaning an overall height of 252 m instead of 247 m.

The new wind farm layout is shown in the below map.

Environmental Benefits

The wind farm will have significant environmental benefits as it will replace energy that would otherwise be generated by burning fossil fuels.

Energy output per year (estimated)

~175,000 MWh

Greenhouse gas abatement per year through  the reduction in carbon-based generation

~175,000 Tonnes CO2

Number of households that can be powered  by green energy annually

~33,000

Equivalent number of cars whose emissions will be offset

~40,000 pa

Equivalent number of trees which would provide the same emissions reduction

~260,000

^{Source: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator}

Connection to the Electricity Grid

The proposed location of connection to the electricity grid remains unchanged, being an existing powerline that passes directly adjacent to the site. As part of the connection process, the wind farm will cover the cost of upgrading approximately 18 km of the powerline leading back to Ballarat, which will significantly improve the safety and reliability of the local grid for all users in the surrounding area. Importantly, these line works will not result in any new overhead powerlines.