World Leading Wind Mapping Technology Results in Huge WA Wind Farm

Financing has been completed and construction will shortly begin on the $750 million / 206-megawatt Collgar development, Western Australia’s largest wind farm. The project, jointly developed by Investec Bank and Windlab, proves the value of Windlab’s world-leading wind-mapping technology which pinpointed the land as an ideal location for wind powered electricity production.

While other wind energy developers around the country, and particularly in WA, have focused on obvious coastal sites, Windlab’s proprietary WindScapeTM technology enables the company to map winds across the globe, including identifying inland sites such as Collgar, 250kms east of Perth.

“WindScapeTM takes the guesswork out of determining the most commercially viable locations and enables us to develop world class wind generation facilities like Collgar,” Windlab co-founder Dr Nathan Steggel said.

“Collgar had previously been considered an area of poor wind resource but it is actually one of the very best wind sites in the world.

“It has consistently strong winds, few extreme winds, low turbulence and gentle topography all in an inland area where we can put in a large facility – this is a very rare combination.”

The WindScapeTM model was originally developed by the CSIRO and has been subsequently improved by Windlab’s scientists. The confidence provided by the WindScapeTM technology has allowed for an accelerated development schedule with approval gained within 18 months of project initiation.

“The successful conclusion of this project demonstrates the skills of the development team to take opportunities generated by our technology and turn them into major infrastructure,” CEO Mark Sinclair said.

Collgar is Windlab’s second successful project to be realised in a matter of months following the recent announcement of construction on the Oakland’s Hill wind farm in Victoria. The company has more than 30 other projects in the pipeline, both with Investec and in its own right and expects several to be realised in the next two years.

Dr Nathan Steggel is available for comment

Media Contact: Simon Mossman, Wilkinson PR, 0414 472 585 or 03 9626 2533

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About Windlab

Windlab is an award-winning* Australian wind energy development company established in 2003, the result of a major research program at Australia’s pre-eminent research organisation CSIRO. It has a growing domestic and international portfolio of projects at various stages of development in the USA, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand, in excess of 5,000MW – capable of supplying energy to more than two million average households when fully developed.

Windlab led the development of the Australian Renewable Energy (Wind) Atlas, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government’s Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and its management team comprises individuals who have been instrumental in shaping the early stages of Australia’s modern wind energy industry over the past 13 years.

More information: www.windlab.com

* Emerging Exporter, 2009 ACT Export Awards; BRW Fast 100 2008 & 2009