We have celebrated the Ryan Corner and Hawkesdale wind farms opening ceremony in Victoria, Australia

In a significant step towards the energy transition in Australia, on Tuesday, December 10th, the Ryan Corner and Hawkesdale wind farms were officially put into operation in the state of Victoria. These projects mark a milestone in the national strategy to achieve a sustainable future and decarbonize the country’s energy grid.

The opening ceremony was attended by local authorities, representatives from nearby communities, and project stakeholders. Among the attendees was Sheena Watt, Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Action in the State of Victoria, who was welcomed prior to the start of the ceremony by Francisco Bustío, CEO of GPG; Pedro Serrano, Managing Director of GPG Australia; Shaq MohajeranI, Head of Development at GPG Australia; and Gema Deus, Head of Operations of GPG Australia.

Also attending the event was Matthew O’Rourke, Head of Public Policy at Amazon Web Services, Hawkesdale offtaker.

Before the start of the inauguration, the guests gathered in Port Fairy, where they arrived by several buses to the Ryan Corner wind farm. Upon arrival, they were welcomed by several of our colleagues from GPG Australia, including Camino Cabanillas (Former Project Director Ryan Corner), Gemma Rodríguez  (Hawkesdale Project Director), Haridian Fuentes (Stakeholder Engagement GPG Australia) and Guillermo Alonso (Development Manager GPG Australia).

The ceremony began at 11:00 a.m. with a warm welcome by our colleague and Head of Development at GPG Australia, Shaq Mohajerani, who served as the master of ceremonies. The event was opened with an emotional “Welcome to Country” by Joey Chatfield, representative of the First Nations and the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation.; highlighting the cultural and spiritual connection to the land. Also, he acknowledged the presence of distinguished guests, including government representatives and stakeholders, and provided essential housekeeping information to ensure the safety and smooth running of the event. 

Highlighted speeches and activities

Following the opening ceremony, attendees had the opportunity to listen to speeches by Francisco Bustío and Sheena Watt, who highlighted the value and significance of the project from different perspectives, emphasizing the crucial role of both wind farms in the decarbonization of the state.

After the speeches, a commemorative gift presentation took place, with participation from Francisco Bustío, Pedro Serrano, Sheena Watt, Matt O’Rourke, and Vicki Askew-Thornton, Moyne Shire Council Major Projects Liaison and Economic Development.

This was followed by a group photo and the most symbolic moment of the day: the ribbon-cutting, led by Francisco Bustío and Sheena Watt, along with Camino Cabanillas, Ryan Corner Project Director; Gemma Rodriguez, Hawkesdale Project Director; and Guillermo Alonso, Development Manager GPG Australia.

“The successful delivery of three major projects—Ryan Corner, Hawkesdale, and Crookwell 3—represents a key milestone for us. Delivering these projects in parallel was no small feat, and we couldn’t have done it without the collaboration of many stakeholders. To the Victorian State Government, Moyne Shire Council, our off-takers, the First Nations People, host landowners, and all community groups, contractors, consultants, and advisors—your invaluable contributions have made these achievements possible.” Francisco Bustío explained during his speech.

Francisco continued his speech by explaining that “Ryan Corner, despite the technical hurdles, is now GPG Australia’s largest operational wind farm, a true testament to our team’s resilience and expertise. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished here, and the successful delivery of this project marks another milestone in our journey toward a sustainable energy future. Together, we have not only delivered these projects, but we’ve also created lasting value for the communities we serve.” 

Also, about Hawkesdale, he claimed that “In the case of Hawkesdale the technical challenges were less severe, but engaging with the local community and addressing their concerns required a great deal of effort. Thanks to ongoing communication and collaboration, we were able to overcome these challenges and ensure the project’s success.”

Images taken durind the opening ceremony:

Visit to Hawkesdale

After a light lunch and various networking opportunities, the event concluded with a visit by Sheena Watt, accompanied by Pedro Serrano, Gemma Rodríguez, Matt O’Rourke, and other key attendees, to the Hawkesdale wind farm. They toured the operations and maintenance building, the substation, and one of the project’s turbines.

Images from the visit to the Hawkesdale wind farm:
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