FairWind Completes First Australian Project at Warradarge
FairWind, a global wind turbine installation and service provider, has successfully completed its first project in Australia at Warradarge wind farm.
51 Vestas V136-3.45MW wind turbine generators were installed at the project, with the final taking over certificate signed on August 26th, 2020.
“Warradarge faced immense obstacles due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including not being able to even rotate our technicians due to travel restrictions. However, thanks to the dedication and professionalism of our technicians and staff, we delivered our first Australian project to the satisfaction of the client,” said Maciej Saczuk, Key Account Manager and Head of APAC for FairWind.
An experienced core team of technicians and HSE personnel were sent from Europe in late 2019. A few months later, the sudden announcement of travel restrictions related to the pandemic meant it was no longer possible to bring new technicians into Australia. Without the ability to rotate new technicians, the project was in jeopardy – so our team volunteered to stay until the job was done, ensuring installation would be completed despite the pandemic.
“We are thankful to our team for making our first project in Australia such a success. We anticipate that Australia’s wind energy market is set to expand rapidly in the next few years, which is why it was critical that FairWind had a presence there now.”
Once restrictions are lifted, FairWind’s presence in Australia could also be a big benefit for its European technicians, giving some of them the opportunity to rotate there when seasonal weather decreases the number of projects available in Europe during the winter.
The project had several other unique challenges. Located three hours from the city of Perth, temperatures there regularly go over 40 degrees Celsius. Technicians also had to pay attention to local fauna that can be close to the site or run across roads, such as kangaroos and even snakes.
However, FairWind could lean on its track record of working in new markets and difficult conditions, already having worked in over 40 countries and now on 6 continents.
The wind farm is a 180MW project being developed by Bright Energy Investments (BEI) in Western Australia’s mid-west region.
“The site for the Warradarge wind farm, near the town of Eneabba, has been praised by both Vestas and state energy minister Bill Johnston for its ‘abundant’ wind resource.
“Once complete, it is expected to supply enough energy to power 148,500 West Australian homes,” reported RenewEconomy.
About FairWind
FairWind is a leading provider of one-stop solutions for the installation and service of onshore and offshore wind turbines throughout the world. The company has worked in over 40 countries and cooperates with more than 1300 technicians to manage our customers’ projects globally.