75 GE 3.2-103 wind turbines installed at the 240 MW Ararat Wind Farm.

GE Renewable Energy has announced an agreement with ENGIE in Australia to supply and install 32 wind turbines at the Willogoleche Wind Farm in South Australia.

This 119MW project will generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 80,000 homes in South Australia when it’s completed in mid-2018.

“We are excited to be working with ENGIE on this project and to continue our commitment to serving the energy needs of South Australia. We have seen tremendous momentum in the Australian wind industry this year,” says GE Australia, New Zealand and Papua Guinea president and chief executive Geoff Culbert.

“This will be our fourth wind farm to begin construction in 2017, with more than 300 GE turbines either operating or under construction across the country, capable of powering the equivalent of more than 500,000 Australian homes with renewable energy.”

The Willogoleche Wind Farm will be ENGIE’s second wind project in Australia and the first time GE and ENGIE have worked together on a renewables project in Australia.

“This is a key project for ENGIE as it tackles the major challenges in the energy transition and moves us towards a decarbonised, decentralised and digitised energy system. It’s great to be working with GE, a company with a similar mindset where digital is at the heart of everything it does. This ensures solutions are future-proofed and our customers enjoy world-leading technology that meets their energy needs,” says ENGIE in Australia acting chief executive Matt Donaldson

The project will be based on GE’s latest wind technology, which has increased energy production by over 50% per unit from its first projects in Australia. It will also include a combination of 3.8MW (24 turbines) and 3.4MW (eight turbines), with a tip height of 150m above ground level and a blade rotor diameter of 130m.

“In Australia, we are now working on nearly $2 billion in wind farm projects, representing more than 900MW generation capacity. This is an incredibly important region for GE globally, and we are committed to supporting Australia achieve its renewable energy goals while maintaining reliable and affordable electricity supplies to businesses and households across the country,” says GE Renewable Energy president and chief executive Jérôme Pécresse.

“It’s excellent to have the opportunity to partner with ENGIE in Australia as it looks to bring more renewable projects online in the country.”