BREAZE

BREAZE members have long excelled in their efforts to reduce their emissions and embrace renewable energy. But one of our members, Neville Oddie, is going well and truly above the call of duty by hosting a 3-turbine, 6 megawatt wind farm on his farm in Chepstowe, 30km west of Ballarat.

After 4 years of hard yakka, BREAZE has assisted in the installation of around 500 kilowatts of solar panels. If this project goes ahead, the turbines will produce 12 times that figure in one hit!

But the plans of the developer, Future Energy, have hit a snag with the Victorian Planning Minister, Matthew Guy, calling in the project. This effectively means that the Minister is now the sole decision maker on whether the turbines go up or not.

Can you help us boost the amount of renewable energy generated in the Ballarat region by sending a letter of support for the project to the Planning Minister?

Some points to raise with the minister are below. There's more background to the project here.

You can also read BREAZE's Media Release on the issue and BREAZE's letter to the Minister (still to come)

Address your letters to:

Hon Matthew Guy
Minister for Planning
Level 7, 1 Spring Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Once you've written your letter, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so we can get a picture of what our members are up to.

If you have any further questions, please drop me a line on 5329 1735

Andrew Bray.

Points to raise

• The project fits easily within the Liberal Government's new policy on wind farms. Neville is the only one living within 2km of the turbine locations and Chepstowe is not on the list of "no-go zones" published by the Liberals in May of last year. With setbacks of 2km or more to the nearest home, the project exceeds the setback requirements of current and proposed State Govt Planning Guidelines, as well as the demands of many wind farm opposition groups.
• There is no significant danger to the brolga population in the surrounding area. Neville has been active in the local Brolga Recovery Group and has been working to improve brolga habitat on his property for at least 25 years. Expert studies have demonstrated that the project will have no impact on the local Brolga population, and no impact on other flora and fauna, or cultural heritage. The Dept of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) has endorsed these findings.
• Disruptions to native grasslands will be minimal and will be fully offset by the establishment of new grassland on the property.
• The project involves no new substations and all new power lines will be underground - it will connect directly into the existing power line.
• The large setback distances eliminate any noise impact, and dramatically reduce the visual impact of a small project like this. For most locals the turbines will be barely visible behind trees or against the sky, and no night lighting is required
• The project will have no impact on the farming activities of the landowner
• The project will annually abate 22,000 tonnes of CO₂ while providing power equivalent to the needs of 3,400 homes.

The Chepstowe wind farm is arguably the most ‘environment friendly’ wind farm so far proposed in Victoria. It provides an ideal opportunity for the Minister to demonstrate that the Government’s proposed new wind farm guidelines do indeed set tougher standards to protect communities and individuals.

In this case, this project meets the new standards and should therefore be approved.

Background

Current State Government policy supports the expansion of renewable energy generation in all its forms in order to meet  the RET of 20% by 2020. However they also intend to amend planning guidelines for wind farms to require a minimum setback of 2km among other changes which will increase the difficulty for wind farms in general, and smaller projects in particular to gain planning approval.

Future Energy is developing a three turbine wind farm at Chepstowe, approximately 30 km west of Ballarat, Victoria. The proposed wind farm will produce enough renewable energy annually to power over 3,400 average households.

An application for  Development Approval was lodged with the Pyrenees Shire Council in February 2010. As the Council did not make a determination within the time prescribed under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, Future Energy referred the application to VCAT. On Feb 2 2011 the Planning Minister called in the project.

The Minister’s Panel Hearing to review the application is on 22/23 February 2011, and it is anticipated the Minister will receive the Panel’s report around the first week of March. There is no statutory timeframe within which the Minister must make his decision.

The developer's website provides more details.