NSW Wind Farms
and Greenhouse
Gas Savings
The scientific consensus is that Australia, and other
nations, must start to reduce their greenhouse gas
emissions in the next decade if we are to avert the
risk of what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change refers to as ‘dangerous’ climate change.
Electricity generation is responsible for over a third
of Australian and NSW greenhouse gas emissions,
largely because of a heavy reliance on fossil fuels
in power generation. At present, Australia has the
second highest greenhouse gas emissions per unit of
electricity produced.
Currently, wind energy is generally the cheapest
renewable energy and the only renewable energy
technology with immediate opportunities for largescale deployment.
NSW wind farms and
greenhouse gas savings
Some have argued that wind farms do not reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, as they believe that coal
fired and gas power will continue to be produced
regardless of how much power wind farms generate.
This analysis allowed the NSW Wind Farm Greenhouse Gas Savings Tool to be
market
experts,
SKM MMA,
that
to
developed. ThisEnergy
model allows
community
and industry
to easilyfound
calculate
the due
projected
greenhouse gas savings from new wind farms in different Precincts across NSW, and
the method
way the
NSW
electricity
market
ensure a consistent
is used
to calculate
greenhouse
gasoperates,
savings. every
additional
unit of wind
power injected into the NSW
NSW Wind Farms
and Greenhouse
Gas Savings
NSW has four grid
wind ‘almost
farms at present.
The largest
wind farm
operating
exclusively’
displaces
coalcurrently
and gas
fired in
NSW is Capital Wind Farm, which has a generating capacity of 141 megawatts
(equivalent to powering
around
45
50,000
households
per
annum!)
power.
However, NSW has been described as the ‘next frontier’ (Ernst and Young) for
renewable energy
and windwords,
farms. There
are already
20 wind
a combined
In other
the power
made
by farms,
wind with
replaces
the
capacity of around 3000 megawatts, which have been approved or are under planning
power made by coal or gas and therefore reduces the
assessment in NSW.
gas emissions.
Figure 1 showsgreenhouse
the yearly greenhouse
savings on average for different sized wind
farms in NSW.
Figure 1 shows the yearly greenhouse savings on
Figure 1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions abated in NSW for 150 MW, 500 MW and
average for different sized wind farms in NSW.
3000 MW Wind Capacity
150 MW
10,000,000
500 MW
3000 MW
9,000,000
Emissions abated (tonnes)
8,000,000
7,000,000
6,000,000
5,000,000
4,000,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Financial year ending June
Figure 1
Greenhouse gas emissions abated in NSW for
150 MW, 500 MW and 3000 MW wind capacity
The greenhouse gas savings from wind farms are massive – a 150 megawatt wind
farm can save Note:
anywhere
between 200,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes of greenhouse
in the future, if a carbon price is implemented, gas power stations
gases every year and a 500MW wind farm can save from 1,000,000 tonnes to
willofstart
to become
more
costyear!
effective as they have lower greenhouse
1,700,000 tonnes
greenhouse
gases
every
gas emissions. Wind energy, in turn, will save less greenhouse gas
The amount ofemissions
greenhouse
savedgasbyfired
NSW
windThis
farms
willthe
depend
as it emissions
displaces more
power.
is why
graph on
whether the Federal Government introduces the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
tends to slope downwards after 2015, when it is assumed a carbon
(CPRS), which will require generators to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions. As
price generation
will be implemented.
gas-fired electricity
produces less greenhouse gas emissions than coalfired generation, the introduction of the CPRS will see gas-fired generation become
more cost-effective and displace coal-fired generation. In turn, wind farms will start
displacing a greater proportion of output from gas plants relative to coal plants. It has
been assumed the CPRS will start in 2015.
The table below demonstrates the greenhouse gas savings that
wind power can achieve.
Table 1
Wind farm output and greenhouse gas savings
Wind farm size
How many
houses will it
power each year?
The average size of a NSW
wind farm 150 megawatts
60,000
65,000
A large wind farm
megawatts
Around 200,000 Over one million
tonnes per year
500
The approximate total capacity Around 1 .25
of wind farms with planning
million
approval in NSW in 2010
3000 megawatts
What are the
greenhouse gas
savings?
200,000
600,000 tonnes
per year
Over seven
million tonnes
per year
Photo: Infigen Energy
How wind power works
A wind turbine comprises a tower, topped by an
enclosure called a nacelle, and the rotor, which is the
propeller-like structure connected to the nacelle.
The wind strikes the blades connected to the nacelle
and, due to their shape, they cause the rotor to spin.
When the wind is strong enough, the rotational
energy in the rotor converts to electrical energy
within the generator.
Nacelle
Gearbox
transmission
Generator
Hub
Tower
Blades
Figure 2 A wind turbine
1
Figure 3
4
2
3
How wind turbines transfer power to the
electricity grid
1
Rotating generator converts wind energy to electricity
2
Transformer increases voltage for transmission to substation
3
Substation increases voltage for transmission over long
distances
4
Transmission to the grid
Do you want to see the
greenhouse gas savings from a
wind farm in your area?
How much power will it
generate?
Find out with the NSW Wind Farm
Greenhouse Gas Savings Tool,
www. environment.nsw.gov.au/
climatechange/reprecinctresources.htm.
The tool will allow you to easily calculate the
projected greenhouse gas savings from new
wind farms in NSW.
The wind industry will also use the tool for
planning applications, ensuring a consistent
method is used in calculating greenhouse
gas savings.
Published by: Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW
59–61 Goulburn Street. PO Box A290, Sydney South 1232.
Ph: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard). Ph: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests).
Ph: 1300 361 967 (national parks, climate change and energy efficiency information and publications
requests).
Fax: (02) 9995 5999. TTY: (02) 9211 4723.
Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au
DECCW 2010/1002 ISBN 978 1 74293 041 1 November 2010
Printed on 100% recycled paper.