The Kondinin Wind and Solar Project

The joint acquisition of Kondinin is Shell Energy’s first West Australian renewable energy development and first West Australian wind project. The project will be developed in two stages and has received all the necessary Local, State and Federal Government approvals to develop:

    • up to 46 wind turbines for 230 Mega Watts (MW) of wind power,
    • around 60MW of solar power, and
    • battery energy storage.

The wind and solar project is currently in the feasibility phase with work being undertaken on the technical, environmental, social and economic aspects of the project. It is anticipated construction of Stage 1 would begin in 2024.

Location

The Kondinin Wind and Solar Project, is located 5km north-east of Kondinin in Western Australia. The project is ~270km east of Perth, in the midst of the West Australian wheatbelt.

The project is an area with good wind and sun resources and close to the existing Western Power electrical substation on the 220 kilovolt (Kv) line and the Highway.

The electricity produced by the project will flow directly into the existing Kondinin substation, located nearby, and then into the Western Power network.

Benefits

The construction of the wind and solar project will help contribute to a thriving economy in the Kondinin region, and take up to two years to fully complete. The construction workforce is expected to peak at 150 people.

It is anticipated the majority of construction jobs will be filled by workers living within 60 minutes drive of the Kondinin area. There will also be some wind and solar farm specialist roles that would need to come from elsewhere in Western Australia, and in this case these workers would utilise accommodation in the surrounding area.

Once the wind and solar farm is operational, it is expected there will be approximately 10 permanent staff who will live in Kondinin and the surrounding area. It is not intended to house remote workers at the wind farm.

The Wind and Solar farm is predicted to generate on average around 500 GWh of electricity every year. This renewable energy avoids the production of around 360,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. The wind and solar resource measurements undertaken indicate the wind is predominantly from the south-east and is strongest overnight. Therefore, the combination of wind and solar power is complementary.

Community Consultative Committee

The project is committed to working closely with the Kondinin community, and other Western Australian stakeholders, to understand how we can best share benefits and opportunities with the wider community.

One of the ways we are engaging with local stakeholders is via the Community Consultative Committee established in late 2022. The purpose of the Committee is to:

    • To perform an advisory and consultative role
    • provide a forum for discussion between the project owners and representatives of the community, stakeholder groups and the local council on issues directly relating to the Project.
    • Establish good working relationships and promote information sharing between the Project, local community and stakeholder groups.
    • Allow the Project to keep the community informed, seek community views and respond to matters raised by the community.
    • Allow community members to seek information and provide feedback to assist with delivery of balanced social, environmental and economic outcomes for the community.
    • To provide advice and guidance on the administration and operation of the Community Fund, which will provide $100,000/year for local grants. Local projects and initiatives that benefit the community in the neighbouring areas of the Project will be eligible to apply for support.

The committee comprises an independent chairperson, up to seven community and stakeholder representatives, a council and project representatives. It is expected Committee meetings will occur quarterly, subject to Project progress.

Community Fund

The Community Consultative Committee will provide advice and guidance regarding the establishment and provision of grants.

The Kondinin Wind and Solar Wind Community Fund will provide financial support to community groups and projects that provide a benefit to the local community with $100,000/year in grants provided from the start of construction, through the 25-year life of the project. Initiatives which provide community benefit in the areas neighbouring the Kondinin Wind and Solar Farm will be eligible to apply for monies once the fund is activated.

Fund details including eligibility criteria are currently being developed, informed by the Community Consultative Committee.

If you wish to receive Community Fund updates, please email the project team with your full name and email address.

Employment Opportunities

We are calling all businesses and individuals who are interested in being part of this exciting project to register their interest by emailing the project team. Once your details are received, updates will be provided once contract and job opportunities are finalised.

The construction of the project will take up to two years to complete, with workforce numbers expected to peak at 150 people. Key scopes of work to be completed will include construction of gravel roads, laying of power cables, erection of power lines, turbine foundations to be excavated and poured, solar arrays and turbines to be assembled. As well as direct employees, direct services that will need to be contracted include plant hire, geotechnical drillers, transportation, excavators, crane and lifting specialists, engineers, surveyors, fitters, electrical contractors, accommodation and catering.

If you wish to register your interest in working for and/or providing your services to support the development of this project, please email the project team with your full name, best contact details and specific area of interest.

External links

Foresight – https://www.foresightgroup.eu/

WestWind – https://w-wind.com.au/