First turbine up at Tilt's 396-MW Rye Park wind farm in NSW

January 23 (Renewables Now) - The first of 66 Vestas V162 turbines set to create the 396-MW Rye Park wind farm has been installed in New South Wales, Melbourne-based project developer Tilt Renewables said today.

The site will become the largest onshore wind park in the state of New South Wales, once in operation.

The wind farm near Yass in the Southern Tablelands will be powered by Vestas Wind Systems A/S’ EnVentus platform V162-6.2 MW turbines in a 6.0 MW operating mode. Tilt Renewables launched construction works on the project last month and expects to bring the plant online in the first quarter of 2024.

Once up and running, Rye Park will be capable of producing some 1,188 GWh of electricity per year. It will operate under a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Newcrest Mining Ltd that will see the gold miner buy around 55% of the power output for its Cadia mine in New South Wales.

Tilt, which is now part of Australian renewable energy provider Powering Australian Renewables (PowAR), has engaged local construction firm Zenviron for the electrical and civil balance of plant (BOP) works, while Lumea is in charge of the project’s grid connection.