Windy Hill Wind Farm — Australia

Windy Hill Wind Farm is a 12 MW wind power plant in Queensland, Australia. It is operated by RATCH-Australia. Based on reported annual generation of 30 GWh, it can supply roughly 8.7k homes. It ranks #382 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2000, it is around 26 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 13.7% 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 AUS0000051.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000906153; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 12 MW, Windy Hill Wind Farm is below the median wind plant in Australia (66 MW). Technically it is described as Onshore. Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

29%, from 30 GWh of reported generation; the median for 43 wind plants in Australia that report generation is 34%

Generation trend

30 GWh in 2013 and 30 GWh in 2018 (+2%)

Highest and lowest year

2014: 32 GWh; 2016: 27 GWh

Share of Australia wind capacity

0.2% of 5,786 MW across 65 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

0 of 43 dated wind plants in Australia are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by RATCH-Australia.

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 17.6°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 93% 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: 16/100 — 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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #56 largest wind power plant of 65 in Australia by capacity.

Australia has 65 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 5,786 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Kareeya · Hydro · 88 MW · Queensland
• Koombooloomba · Hydro · 7.3 MW · Queensland
• South Johnstone · Biomass · 20 MW · Queensland
• Guddu power station · Biomass · 19.3 MW · Queensland
• Tableland · Biomass · 7 MW · Queensland
• Tully Sugar Mill · Biomass · 21.4 MW · Queensland

Location

Coordinates -17.5922, 145.5306 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions