Almost 6000 cubic metres of concrete have gone into the foundations of wind turbines in Western Australia, marking a significant milestone in renewable energy.
Gold Fields has reached the milestone in its $296 million St Ives Renewable Energy Project in WA by pouring the foundations of multiple wind turbines at the project’s site 80 km south of Kalgoorlie.
The foundation of each of the seven wind turbines contains 800 cubic metres of concrete produced by WA contractor Westforce Construction. The 20 year-old company is known for scalable civil solutions across energy, infrastructure and resources.
The wind turbine foundation pours were completed recently in preparation for the arrival of turbine components expected in the coming weeks.
The St Ives Renewable Energy project comprises a 42 MW wind farm and a 35 MW solar farm spanning 2.5 square kilometres, with the solar segment being developed in partnership with Pacific Energy.
More than half of the solar panel frames have been constructed and solar panels delivered and installed this month. Construction on both the wind and solar farm sections remain on time and within budget, with completion targeted for 2026.
When operational, this hybrid renewable energy system will supply around three quarters of the energy requirements of Gold Fields’ St Ives mine. This will make it WA’s largest renewable energy initiative at an existing mine site.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia, at the helm since December 2013, and our weekly news writer since 2016. Focused on concrete and construction for more than 11 years, her expertise in this field forms part of a journalism career spanning three decades. To get in touch please email desi@corbettcomms.com