Wind trumps solar in new renewable energy zone

VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker and strategy and planning executive director Adele McCarthy spoke about the zone and what it meant for residents inside and outside the area.

The Central North REZ was selected for its strategic location near an existing transmission line, enabling energy generation without the added expense of line upgrades.

VicGrid envisions the REZ as a compact yet efficient zone, targeting 60 to 100 megawatts of energy production — equivalent to 15 to 20 wind turbines.

This amount of energy is enough to power more than 45,000 homes a year.

Ms McCarthy clarified that the zone was specifically designed for wind projects, with no current capacity allocated for solar developments.

“We’re effectively not planning for any more solar in the REZ,” she said.

“If a project proponent wants to build a solar project, they can still apply, but we will be subjecting them to some new tests which (will test) if their project will eat away at the capacity that we need for the REZ or not.

“If (developers) can prove that their project doesn’t compromise the renewable energy zone, then they may be able to connect to the grid.”

She explained these tests would also be put to wind developers outside a REZ wanting to connect to the grid, along with extra tests around community benefits and community engagement they would need to satisfy.

The seminar was also open for people to ask questions directly to Mr Parker and Ms McCarthy.

In response to a question asked by Vicki Winwood about why wind was a priority for the REZ, Ms McCarthy said it was to create a “diversity of supply”.

“There is a lot of solar interest in and around that REZ ... we are indicating a deliberate push with the remaining capacity in that transmission line to bring some wind into that corridor, noting that there are significant solar farms already connected to that transmission corridor,” she said.

Tyler Nelson asked how neighbours of projects were supposed to have a say when landowners signed up to have a renewable project built on their land.

Mr Parker said VicGrid would be making sure developers inside REZs had processes and “have strong discussions with neighbours” to protect the interest of those neighbours; however, it was not something VicGrid was proposing to address head on.

He also addressed the wind turbine setback minimum of 1km, noting he was aware of the stress it had caused for neighbours of wind farms.

“Some developers tell me they’re open to discussing it, but it has led to some unintended consequences, so it is something we are alert to,” Mr Parker said.

“Rather than have a blanket rule, I would prefer there are good discussions and people really understanding the impacts for their property ... it’s not something the Victorian Government is looking at actively, but we do get this feedback.”

The plan does lay out a community benefit scheme and features payments into community energy funds to deliver benefits back into the regional and rural communities that live in and around those REZs, along with support for Traditional Owners and payments for significantly impacted neighbours of new transmission projects.

To conclude the session, the speakers laid out a number of community engagement opportunities to speak with VicGrid and provide feedback.

These include a weekly drop-in session, which is every Thursday from 10am to 3pm at the Kyabram Community Learning Centre, or arranging a meeting with a VicGrid staff member and providing a written submission at engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan