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Wonthaggi Wind Farm

Wind power plant in Victoria, Australia. Approximate location -38.6037, 145.5462.

WindVictoriaAustraliaOnshore

Wonthaggi Wind Farm is a 12 MW wind power plant in Victoria, Australia. It is operated by Origin Energy. Based on reported annual generation of 29 GWh, it can supply roughly 8.3k homes. It ranks #383 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2005, it is around 21 years old — relatively modern. 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).

12Source-backed capacity
29GWh reported / yr
8,285homes powered
2005commissioned (~21 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000001.

Data status

Known data

FacilityWonthaggi Wind Farm WRI
CountryAustralia · Victoria WRI
Coordinates-38.6037, 145.5462 WRI
FuelWind WRI
MW installed capacity12 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerOrigin Energy WRI
Commissioned2005 WRI
TechnologyOnshore WRI
GWh reported / yr29 GWh/yr WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#383 of 536 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#57 of 65 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.18× · 66 MW median · 65 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent8,285 calculated from reported generation
Climate14.1°C · HDD 1,476 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC4 · 36/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: GEM tracker 2026 (location L100000906023); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 12 MW, Wonthaggi 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.

Reported generation trend

2014: 30 GWh20142015: 28 GWh20152017: 3 GWh20172018: 29 GWh201830 GWh

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

Owner

Operated by Origin Energy. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 38.6°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

14.1°Cannual mean temp
1,476heating degree-days (base 18°C)
35cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
25 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 18 °CJF: 19 °CFM: 18 °CMA: 15 °CAM: 13 °CMJ: 10 °CJJ: 10 °CJA: 10 °CAS: 12 °CSO: 13 °CON: 15 °CND: 16 °CD19 °C

Heating degree-days here run 40% 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: 33/100 — 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

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C4ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
36/100environmental-severity index
9.3°Cseasonal temperature swing
24 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

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 #57 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

Location

Coordinates -38.6037, 145.5462 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Wonthaggi Wind Farm?

Wonthaggi Wind Farm is a 12 MW source-record wind power plant in Victoria, Australia, commissioned in 2005.

How much electricity does Wonthaggi Wind Farm generate?

Wonthaggi Wind Farm generates about 29 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can Wonthaggi Wind Farm power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 8,285 homes.

Who operates Wonthaggi Wind Farm?

Wonthaggi Wind Farm is operated by Origin Energy.

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