Australia is on track to complete what will eventually become the Southern hemisphere's largest wind farm, thanks to turbines from Danish maker Vestas.
According to Interesting Engineering, construction of the Golden Plains Wind Farm, located in a rural area in the state of Victoria, began in 2023. The wind farm is expected to be operational in 2027 and will replace the coal-fired Yallourn power station, which is set to cease operations in 2028, according to reports cited from Power.
When it goes online, Golden Plains is expected to generate 4,500 gigawatt-hours annually, meeting 8% of the state's energy demand.
"Through our best-in-class people, wind turbines, and capabilities, Vestas is delighted to build and service this landmark project," Purvin Patel, president of Vestas Asia Pacific, said in a press release, per Interesting Engineering.
Wind is one of several renewable energy sources that can help reduce harmful air pollution. The burning of traditional energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas spews pollutants that can contribute to early death, heart attacks, respiratory disorders, stroke, asthma, and other health problems, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The same dirty fuels that make us sick also contribute more than 75% of planet-heating pollution. As the world continues to overheat, humanity faces increasingly dangerous consequences, including extreme heat waves that reduce agricultural productivity, droughts that cause food shortages and price spikes, and more frequent and severe natural disasters that can threaten lives and property.
For instance, the price of olive oil has soared to new highs due to extreme weather in Spain and other countries where it is produced. Plus, fires are becoming more frequent and intense — 2024 has seen historic burn seasons thus far, from California to the Amazon.
Meanwhile, renewable energy is expanding across the globe. For one, towns in rural Virginia are adding over one million new jobs by focusing on clean energy instead of coal. Plus, some of the world's biggest companies, like Microsoft, Walmart, Apple, and Meta, are now America's biggest corporate solar energy users, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
You can opt for clean energy in a few different ways. For instance, signing up for community solar is an easy way to save money on electric bills and give an assist to Mother Earth. You can also install your own solar panels. Plus, there are a number of other ways to support clean energy initiatives, such as purchasing green certificates.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Cool Picks
