Nexans unite with Marais Laying Technologies to build Australia's largest Wind Farm

About the Project

Nexans and Marais Laying Technologies Australia, a Tesmec Group subsidiary, have partnered to design, manufacture, supply, install and test 275 km of 33 kV collector cables for what became the largest wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere.

The project, worth over $20 million AUD, relied on a unique design methodology to deliver innovative, cost-effective cable solutions for the wind farm in Australia. Stockyard Hill Wind Farm is located 35km west of Ballarat and consists of 149 turbines - with the capacity to produce enough energy to power 390,000 homes.

Project Objectives

The aim here was to reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), to help drive large scale wind farms and make it possible to reach 50% renewables by 2025. In order to meet this challenge, Nexans designed a total system solution that involved manufacturing the cables in a long, continuous length.

As the largest wind farm in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, Stockyard Hill Wind Farm consists of 149 turbines that power 390,000 homes while saving around two million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.

The project created around 300 jobs during construction peak times, and employs around 25 permanent staff, supporting local families and the community for the long run.