wind farm
Diesel costs to FEA have dramatically soared to over 200% over the last 4 years and 50% of electricity demand is being met by expensive diesel generators. FEA has fast tracked all renewable capital projects, resulting in the Wainikasou and Nagado hydros being commissioned and Butoni wind farm. This is expected to supply power to the nation with the commissioning of the first 10 windmills by the end of this year.
FEA proposed to install 37 Vergnet GEV MP 275 kW turbines along the Butoni ridge line near Sigatoka town to create a 10 MW wind farm anticipated to produce 11.5GWh of electricity a year.
• Low–moderate wind speed conditions (av. 5.46 m/s)
• Moderate correlation to Nadi airport – low wind
• Narrow north-south ridge 5-6 kms from Sigatoka
(click on Image to Enlarge)
These turbines will be 55 metres high, have two blades (32m diameter) and generating electricity between wind speeds of 4 – 20m/s, approximately 8-40knots. Five kilometres of overhead 33kV transmission lines are required from the substation to the electrical grid, adjacent to the Sigatoka Valley Road and will be laid on overhead poles (poles will be either concrete or wooden, and 15m high).
At least 95% of the turbines will be operational to generate electricity at any one time per week or per year, will be taken out of production for servicing.
Following a cyclone warning, teams of people are required to operate 20 tonne cranes to lower the turbines and towers to the ground. They have been designed to be easily lowered to the ground in response to cyclone warnings and fixed in place until high winds have abated to prevent turbine damage.
Butoni Wind power is one example of that renewable Energy development under taken by the present management to tackle the fuel crisis in future.
