Lonsdale is a 21 MW oil power plant in South Australia, Australia. It is operated by Infratil Energy Australia Pty Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 16k homes (estimated). It ranks #338 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Its modelled annual emissions are 17,805 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 4.2k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 2.2% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000234.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 21 MW, Lonsdale is well above the median oil plant in Australia (8.6 MW). Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~17,805 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Share of Australia oil capacity
- 1.3% of 1,605 MW across 46 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest oil plants in Australia
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Infratil Energy Australia Pty Ltd.
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 35.1°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 49% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 29/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #18 largest oil power plant of 46 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 46 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 1,605 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Port Stanvac · Oil · 64.8 MW · South Australia
- Pedler Creek · Waste · 3 MW · South Australia
- Adelaide Showgrounds · Solar · 1 MW · South Australia
- Dry Creek · Gas · 156 MW · South Australia
- Wingfield I · Waste · 5 MW · South Australia
- Wingfield II · Waste · 5 MW · South Australia
Location
Coordinates -35.1097, 138.491 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Lonsdale?
Lonsdale is a 21 MW oil power plant in South Australia, Australia.
Who operates Lonsdale?
Lonsdale is operated by Infratil Energy Australia Pty Ltd.
How much CO₂ does Lonsdale emit?
Lonsdale has modelled emissions of about 17,805 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).