Codrington Wind Farm can't be updated and will close. Here's why

Australia’s oldest commercial wind farm, built near Port Fairy, will become the nation’s first to be decommissioned, with energy company Pacific Blue saying the Codrington Wind Farm will be wound down by 2027.

The 24-year-old wind farm will have all 14 turbines removed, and the site returned to agricultural use under conditions set out in its original permit and landholder agreements.

The Brolga spoke to a local environmental scientist and a national expert in wind energy to better understand the decision and its significance — and to ask whether this marks the end of a significant chapter in Australia’s renewable energy story, or a missed opportunity to adapt.

Port Fairy local and environmental scientist, Mike Herbert, said he was disappointed Pacific Blue had ruled out refitting the site, calling it a loss to the grid.

“[It’s] short sighted,” he said. “I think that a refit could work. From an environmental perspective, one wonders about total removal of the current infrastructure. How many millions to do the scrapping job?”

While Pacific Blue would not comment on costs, it said the decision not to remodel the site was based on physical and technical constraints.

“The Codrington Wind Farm was designed for 1990s turbine technology. The site simply isn’t large enough to accommodate modern turbines, which are significantly taller and generate much more energy,” a company spokesperson said.

The current turbines have a hub height of 50 metres and generate 1.3 megawatts (MW) each. New turbines have hub heights around 149 metres and generation capacities between 6MW and 8MW.

University of Wollongong Innovation and Commercial Research Unit Director, Ty Christopher, said Pacific Blue was correct in its assessment and said Codrington was “in the latter stage of its mechanical life”.

He added that while replacing the mechanics might be possible, the mismatch between old and new systems made it economically unviable.

“It would probably cost the same for a brand new turbine with a better electrical output, and therefore a better revenue stream to cover the cost of investment.”

Pacific Blue said all turbines would be dismantled using cranes and that it was working with researchers to find the best way to recycle materials. 

Christopher said most of the components, including steel, copper and aluminium, are recyclable, but the turbine blades, which are made from carbon fibre, would present a challenge.

He said emerging technologies, including the use of bacteria to break down the blades for reuse, were being trialled in Europe.

“Does it exist in Australia yet? No, but it’s coming up the commercial scale overseas, it’s in the early stages. Pacific Blue should look at what it can do to invest in a local version of this technology.”

As part of the decommissioning process, Pacific Blue is required to rehabilitate the site within 12 months of shutting down operations. 

The company said the land — currently used for farming and lime quarrying — must be restored to a standard suitable for agricultural use, to the “satisfaction of landowners and regulatory authorities”.

Community consultation is expected to begin in coming months, covering traffic impacts, rehabilitation plans and Codrington’s “legacy as a pioneering renewable project”.

Pacific Blue operates several other wind farms across Australia, including four near Portland and Port Fairy.