Hydro Tasmania renewables wing looks to China

Australia's newest renewable energy development company, Roaring 40s Renewable Energy, a joint venture between Hydro Tasmania and Hong Kong's CLP Group, was officially launched at the Beijing International Renewable Energy Conference in China last month. "With renewable energy development opportunities in Australia reduced as a result of national policy, Hydro Tasmania is now looking to Asia for new developments and the partnership with CLP in Roaring 40s will achieve this," says Mark Kelleher, who will head up the new firm, announced in Australia in September. It owns the 65 MW Woolnorth wind farm in Tasmania, 50% of the 66 MW Cathedral Rocks wind farm in South Australia, as well as the rights to a number of other development sites in Australia, New Zealand and China. New development projects on its books included the 75 MW Studland Bay wind farm and the recently approved 129 MW Musselroe wind farm, both in Tasmania, as well as the recently announced 50 MW Shuangliao wind farm in China's Jilin province, developed with Datang Jilin Power Generation. Studland Bay at Woolnorth, comprising 25 Vestas V90 3 MW turbines, is on track to be commissioned in the second half of 2006. "This will be the first delivery of V90 wind turbines in the Southern Hemisphere and the first order for Australia," says Roaring 40s Gustavo Bodini. "Shipment of the turbines will commence in early 2006." Talks for turbine supply for its other projects are underway, the company adds.