By rotating turbine blades that drive an electrical generator, wind produces up to 40 % of electricity in several countries linked to large grids and a similar share in several WA towns on the fringes of, or off, the grid. At the end of 2013, WA has 470 MW of wind plant. Australia has about 3200 MW, overall.

There are about 500,000 sq km in WA’s South-West that have average wind speeds above six metres per second at a height of 60 metres. Just 3,000 sq km (55 km x 55 km) in this area would provide the equivalent energy of the SWIS at its peak demand, continuously.

"The total theoretical potential for onshore wind power for the world is around 55 TW with a practical potential of at least 2 TW (2004), which is about 40% of the entire present (2013) worldwide generating capacity. The offshore wind energy capacity is even greater." [1]

 *since bought out by Vestas
**derated to 1.86MW
***second hand and fully reconditioned; sites have significant irrigation loads

1. Blakers, A.W. "Solar and Wind Electricity in Australia". Australian Journal of Environmental Management. 7, 2000, 223-236.

Find out where wind farms are globally in this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.windfarmlocator.windfarmlocator 

Find out why wind farms aren't the bird slayers they are made out to be!:

http://www.sciencealert.com/wind-farms-are-hardly-the-bird-slayers-they-re-made-out-to-be-here-s-why