Brolga and bat ruling a ‘death knell’ for Victorian wind farm
Strict conditions set around a proposed $1 billion wind farm in Victoria to protect nesting brolga and a tiny, critically endangered bat have sounded a “death knell” for wind power in the state’s south-west and make renewables targets unachievable, according to the project developer.
The unprecedented rules imposed by Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny on the controversial 400-megawatt Willatook wind farm north of Port Fairy – which has been on the drawing board for more than a decade – have shocked the renewable energy sector, which is already struggling with cost inflation, social licence problems and slow approvals and connections for projects.
Wind Prospects boss Ben Purcell: “This is not just a Willatook wind farm issue; if you apply these buffers to other projects it is hugely problematic.” Arsineh Houspian.
The conditions intended to protect the brolga – an iconic indigenous crane famed for its dancing rituals that is threatened in Victoria – and the 55mm-long, cave-dwelling southern bent-wing bat include wider buffer zones around wind turbines that effectively cut the number of turbines that could be installed at the site by almost two-thirds.
In addition, they impose a five-month ban on construction work at the site every year, which Ben Purcell, managing director in Australia of project developer Wind Prospect, said “just can’t happen” given the required deployment of 300-400 people and major crane equipment at the site that cannot be just set aside.
“This is not just a Willatook wind farm issue; if you apply these buffers to other projects it is hugely problematic,” he told The Australian Financial Review.
“This is a much bigger policy issue – does the government actually want to meet their targets? Do
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