Issue # 3 September 2011

Newsletter Contents
New England Wind - Strong Community Support Clean Energy Jobs Opportunities and Challenges Councils talk Energy Efficiency and Local Generation Renewable Energy Trailer in the regions Small Wind and Solar Sept/October workshops Data now available Small Wind Consumer Guide

Welcome to the second issue of the Renewable Energy Precincts Newsletter for 2011. A community engagement initiative in areas of NSW where significant wind energy development is expected in the next 10 years, the program is designed to give local communities a voice and stake in renewable energy development in their region. Visit http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/climatechange/renewableprecincts.htm

New England Wind

Renewable Energy Cooperative
The Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW Fair Trading and three community organisations funded a study into the feasibility of a community owned wind farm in the New England Region. The final report has just been received and the studys author, Adam Blakester, from Starfish Enterprises, gave an overview. Design principles for a successful community wind farm have been developed ~ addressing governance issues, turbine siting, operational Photo: Armidale Community Planning Forum management and scale ~ to reflect the views of over 1,300 people and organisations directly involved in the Study. An eight turbine wind farm is recommended, requiring $30m in capital, producing sufficient electricity for 25,000 people and 9,000 dwellings ~ close to half the areas residential load. The recommended investment model for the community wind farm would be $10 million each from the local community, banks and investors through an unlisted public company. The study found strong community interest in establishing a community wind farm to advance energy self-sufficiency for the region, deliver clean energy and a financial return for the community.

RE News Senate Inquiry; Rural Wind Farms PV Solar Farm for Moree

Project Updates
South Coast Snowy-Monaro NSW/ACT Border Region Central Tablelands Upper Hunter New England North West

Clean Energy Jobs

The Climate Institute Precincts analysed
Earlier this year stakeholder workshops informed a series of regional reports. The Climate Institute snapshots overview each regions clean energy resources, estimate clean energy job opportunities and summarise regional strengths and challenges. Roadmaps provide a detailed assessment to assist stakeholders develop strategies that maximise jobs opportunities. Information on skills development, education, demographics and supply chain analysis is provided. Download reports at http://cleanenergyjobsmap.climateinstitute.org.au/#/nsw

Published by: Office of Environment and Heritage NSW OEH 2011/0724 For more information
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ climatechange/renewableprecincts

Local Council Capacity Building

Workshop for Council Planners and Environmental Staff
Renewable Energy Workshops for Council Planners and Environmental staff were held during June and July, with a strong focus given to discussion and feedback on how the NSW Government can better support councils in the planning process for RE projects. A joint initiative of the Office of Environment and Heritage, and Department of Planning and Infrastructure, the workshops reinforced the emerging role of wind farms in energy generation as well as their benefits and impacts within local economies. Changes to state government planning processes for major projects and new state-wide small wind and solar planning provisions were also covered. Presentation of work by the Institute of Sustainable Futures, UTS with local councils, demonstrated how council sustainable energy plans could be developed. Local governments are well placed to start considering mid-scale solar and wind projects to offset the costs of rising energy prices. Contact your local coordinator if your Council is interested in progressing ideas /projects.

Renewables on the road

Education and information trailer
Through the use of the Renewable Energy Trailer, Regional Coordinators have actively engaged regional communities, helping people understand the role that renewable energy can play at their house or in their community. Regional shows, festivals and field days across the precincts in Tenterfield, Crookwell, Jindabyne, Cooma, Tathra, Namoi, Tocal, Coonabarabran, Collector and Queanbeyan, Mudgee and Cowra have been visited. Regional Coordinators have talked to hundreds of people about renewable energy issues and opportunities and the Precincts Program more broadly. The Trailer and Precinct Coordinators will be on the road over the next 12 months continuing this engagement.

Small to Medium Wind and Solar

Small and Community Scale Wind Workshops Sept-Oct
Full day, free workshops will be held across the precincts from late September 2011. Leading experts in the field, Katie Ross (Institute of Sustainable Futures, UTS) and Craig Memery (Alternative Technology Association), will be presenting. Together they will cover the basics of wind energy, design principles, site assessments, turbine siting, economics of wind and developing and building community scale wind energy projects. Not to be missed! Contact your regional coordinator for your date and venue.

Councils, Landholders and Community Groups Opportunities with NSW Community Wind and Solar Map
To facilitate local renewable energy projects by landholders, councils and community groups, the Office of Environment & Heritage has commissioned the NSW Community Wind and Solar Map. It is an interactive, on-line tool with high-resolution wind and solar mapping data which can be used to prepare user-friendly print-outs with estimates of wind and solar resources for individual sites that are within the NSW Renewable Energy Precincts. This data is only available until early 2012. Contact your Renewable Energy Coordinator for more detailed information.

NSW Small Wind Turbine Consumer Guide

The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage commissioned Enhar to prepare the NSW Small Wind Turbine Consumer Guide. The Guide provides industry and consumers with all the information necessary when considering purchasing a small wind turbine including: assessing your site, choosing a turbine, planning approvals and installation. If you are considering a larger system to supply power to your school, community organisation or small business the guide also provides information which remains relevant for medium sized wind turbines. Download the guide at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/climatechange/0449SWCG.pdf

Renewable Energy News

Senate Inquiry Social and Economic Impact of Rural Wind farms
Following the review of over a thousand submissions and the conduct of a number of public hearings, the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee Report on Rural Wind Farms was released in June. The report comments on noise and health effects; the interface between commonwealth, state, and local planning laws as they pertain to wind farms; and property values, employment opportunities and farm income. For the full report visit: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/impact_rural_wind_farms/report/report.pdf

Solar Flagships Winning bid for Moree

Moree Solar Farm in New South Wales and the Chinchilla solar thermal farm in Queensland are the winners of Round 1 of the Federal Governments Solar Flagships Program. The Moree Solar Farm, a utility-scale solar photovoltaic farm proposed by a consortium comprising Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, BP Solar and Pacific Hydro, was selected as the winner for the photovoltaic project funding. The NSW Government has committed $120m to support this project. The 150 megawatt (MW) project is planned to begin construction in mid-2012 subject to final approvals. When completed, the farm will comprise approximately 650,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels and produce enough power for approximately 45,000 households (or roughly a town the size of Darwin), leading to an annual displacement of around 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide through generation of renewable electricity. http://www.moreesolarfarm.com.au/ Back to top

Precinct updates project development

South Coast
In February Epuron announced plans for a wind farm at Eden. Initial plans are for up to 7 turbines at the Eden Chip Mill site on the south side of the harbour. The project is projected to generate enough power for over 4,000 average sized households. The project will be assessed by Bega Valley Shire Council with a final decision made by the Joint Regional Planning Panel. The development application will cover the same issues that larger projects are required to address to ensure a robust assessment can be made. It is anticipated that the development application will be lodged in the near future and community feedback will be part of the assessment process. South Coast Renewable Energy Coordinator: Daniel Murphy Contact on 0427241879 or daniel.murphy@environment.nsw.gov.au Back to top

Snowy-Monaro
Generation of bioenergy using waste material from Bombala forestry operations is being explored. Bombala Shire Council, Forests NSW and Regional Development Australia Southern Inland are supporting the project and RDASI has adopted the project as a major activity under its Renewable Energy Generation Strategic Priority. Such a project would help create jobs and significantly boost the local economy. Long term it could potentially make the Bombala community a net energy exporter. The program is supporting Clean Energy for Eternity Snowy Mountains to look at the possibility of a community owned renewable energy project in the area. Partnership with the local CMA, so that any project addresses both climate change mitigation and adaptation, is being discussed. Snowy-Monaro Renewable Energy Coordinator: Chris Mackenzie Davey Contact on 0457593266 or chris.mackenziedavey@environment.nsw.gov.au Back to top

Central Tablelands
The Precinct has exceptional potential for large scale wind with 1340MW under assessment, covering 5 individual wind farms a possible investment of more than $3B and around 500 jobs. This should ensure the area will exceed 20% renewable energy generation by 2020. Healthy support for community ownership of projects is developing along with a realisation of the challenges and risks involved. Community desire for factual balanced information is a characteristic of the precinct and the program works with all stakeholders to achieve this. Central Tablelands Renewable Energy Coordinator: Grant Christopherson Contact on 0457594193 or grant.christopherson@environment.nsw.gov.au Back to top

NSW/ACT Border Region

Gunning wind farm owned by Acciona was launched on 20 July. With 31 turbines it will generate power for 30,000 households and create 9 full time jobs locally. Woodlawn owned by Infigen Energy, the same people who own Capital wind farm should start generating soon. It has 23 turbines (48MW), enough power for 20,000 households, and it will create 4 - 6 full time, ongoing jobs. The program continues to disseminate factual information on the impacts and benefits of wind farms, including issues such as health, noise and property values, and is currently working to ensure community members are informed about how best to engage with the planning process to make sure all views receive appropriate attention. NSW/ACT Border Region Renewable Energy Coordinator: Andy Hughes Contact on 0457593226 or andy.hughes@environment.nsw.gov.au Back to top

Upper Hunter
In March, Epuron Pty Ltd submitted the Liverpool Range Wind Farm Project Application for a 1000+ MW / 550 wind turbine wind farm. A Planning Focus Group Meeting, with local councils and government agencies was held and subsequently Director Generals Requirements were issued. A significant energy generation project if built to capacity, the wind farm could produce 4,250,000 MW hours or enough for around 525,000 homes in NSW. Local landholder groups are looking at the potential to participate in innovative alternative business models for wind farm developments and the distribution of development opportunities is a focus of community discussion. In Scone, Pamada continues its work on grid connection planning and wind turbine layout for the Kyoto Energy Park. Upper Hunter Renewable Energy Coordinator: Pauline Dunne Contact on 0457593991 or pauline.dunne@environment.nsw.gov.au Back to top

New England North West

In the New England North West Precinct $10-13m has been invested in micro-generation with solar PV and wind in the last three years, demonstrating real willingness to shift to sustainable energy. The New England community solar initiative, Farming the Sun, has just received a Green Globe Award. The Precinct also has two very active large scale wind projects between Inverell and Glen Innes, the 150MW solar farm at Moree, as well as opportunities for medium scale commercial and co-operative ventures. We are developing a package of local government renewable energy initiatives and scoping energy from waste in both New England and the North West. New England North West Renewable Energy Coordinator: Paul Cruickshank Contact on 0457593827 or paul.cruickshank@environment.nsw.gov.au MAJOR PROJECTS: Find information including Project Applications, Director General Requirements, Submissions, Environmental Impact Assessments & Modifications to Applications at http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/page/project-sectors/transport--communications--energy--water/generation-of-electricity-or-heat-or-co-generation/

For more information on current initiatives, and to lodge an interest in hosting or participating in medium to large scale renewable opportunities, please contact your local regional coordinator. Back to top