Wind farms
How do wind farms generate electricity?
Wind flows over the blades like air flowing over an aeroplane wing. This flow of air causes a difference in air pressure between the front and back of the blade, moving the blades forward and making the central rotor spin.
The spinning rotor drives a generator, converting motion into electricity to export to the grid.
How much land do you need for a wind farm?
Wind farm infrastructure usually takes up less than 5% of the land it’s located on. The example below represents close turbine spacing where the turbines can be placed optimally on a flat area of land. The total area in the example below is 320 hectares, and the area occupied by the wind turbines and roads equates to approximately 12 hectares.
EXAMPLE
2km x 1.6km area hosting 7 x 7.2mw turbine
What is shadow flicker?
Wind turbines and their blades can cast shadows on nearby land. When viewed from a stationary position, the blade’s moving shadows appear to flicker, giving rise to the term ‘shadow flicker’.
Wind energy guidelines limit the shadow flicker experienced at any neighbouring dwelling to an average 30 hours per year as a result of the operation of the wind farm. An assessment of shadow flicker will be undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process to ensure the project is compliant with guidelines.
What about reflections from the turbines causing glare?
This is known as blade glint. Blade glint can be produced by the reflection of the sun’s light from smooth and reflective surfaces. Modern wind turbine blades are typically coated with non-reflective paint, to prevent the occurrence of blade glint.
Are wind turbines really environmentally friendly? How long does a turbine take to repay the carbon it takes to produce it?
Vestas, the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer, has calculated the operating times that wind turbines need to generate in order to payback the energy used in their manufacture. These times vary from 5 months for high wind sites out to 8 months for lower wind speed sites. For comparison, solar photovoltaic panels are 1 to 2 years and hydro-electric power plants are 9 to 13 months on the same metric.
You can read more about this on the Vestas website: vestas.com/en/sustainability/environment/energy-payback
The project
Where is the project?
The project is located on privately owned land near Limerick in the Upper Lachlan Shire. It is approximately 10km North of Crookwell, and 5km East of Binda.
How big will the wind turbines be?
The technology for the project is yet to be finalised, it is expected however that the turbines will be approximately 300m tall.
How many turbines will be installed?
The total size of the project is still under investigation and will be released as soon as we have a final number.
We welcome surrounding landholders to reach out if they would like to be considered in the project.
Are you building a transmission line?
A network of underground cables will connect the turbines to an onsite substation. The location of the onsite substation will be determined as part of the design process.
An overhead transmission line will connect the onsite substation to the existing 500kV Bannaby to Mt Piper transmission line.
Participating in the project
How can I participate?
Hosts to the investigation area can participate in the project by:
- Signing up as a host for wind turbines on their land
- Signing up to host infrastructure including transmission lines on their land.
Neighbours to the investigation area can participate in the project by:
- joining the nearby neighbour program
- hosting project infrastructure including wind turbines, laydown areas, access tracks and transmission infrastructure.
I am interested in hosting turbines, how do I become involved?
We would like to give as many landholders as possible the opportunity to participate in the project. Please reach out to our team and we will set up a meeting to talk through suitable options.
I am interested in signing up as a neighbour to the project, how do I become involved?
We would like to give as many neighbouring landowners as possible the opportunity to participate in the project. Please reach out to our team and we will set up a meeting to talk through suitable options.
Project benefits
Is there a community benefits package?
A community benefits package will be established for project, $1,050 per mega-watt per annum has been budgeted for the package. The package includes a community benefit fund, a neighbour benefit fund and contributions to the local council.
Will you have neighbour payments?
Stromlo will implement a Nearby Neighbour Program aimed at sharing further project benefits with households living closest to our turbines.
Will you upgrade any infrastructure to construct the project?
As part of project construction, the project will upgrade the main access road and then maintain it for the life of the project.
Project impacts
Will I be able to hear the wind farm?
Within 2km of a turbine, it is likely that you will be able to hear some sound. Most people hear a soft woosh-woosh noise. It is difficult to hear a wind farm over the background sound in country Australia from anywhere outside of 2km, unless there are unusual conditions present.
There are some resources available on line including a video called “The sound of wind farms” which was created by TasNetworks in Tasmania in partnership with sound engineers Arup. You can find it on YouTube.
Will I be able to see the wind farm?
An assessment of visual impact from the wind farm will be undertaken as part of the development and approvals process. Views from dwellings and other local view points will be considered in this assessment. We will share this assessment as well as photomontages at future community engagement sessions.
If you would like to see what the project could look like from your property, we have augmented reality software that we can use to show you.
The TrueView program overlays the draft wind turbine layout on the landscape, this is then viewed through an iPad from different locations on your property.
If you would like to have a demonstration you can request a meeting
What happens in a bush fire?
A bushfire risk assessment is undertaken for each project and a bushfire management plan will be prepared and made available to the community. The management plan includes details of water tanks and other firefighting equipment maintained at the wind farm site, and how the wind farm personnel and equipment will assist firefighting efforts in case of bushfires in the region.
The wind turbines to be used on the project are fitted with advanced smoke detection and fire suppression systems. When smoke is detected, a signal is sent to the operator who will immediately shut down the turbine and alert the fire authority.
The suppression system will activate in the event of fire, a gas suppressant is released to extinguish any fire, the types of gas used are environmentally safe and act to cool the fire and remove oxygen to extinguish flames.
What about lightning strikes?
Wind turbines lightning protection systems that are able to draw lightning strikes safely to ground without injury to people or property. According to the CSIRO, lightning strike is the most common cause of bushfires. The height of wind turbines, coupled with these lightning protection systems substantially reduce the chance of lightning strike on trees, fences and buildings in the area around the wind farm.
How will you manage environmental concerns?
As part of the development and approvals process for the project a series of surveys and assessments will be undertaken. The surveys are to determine the potential impact of the project on the local environment. The results of these surveys will be used in the design process to help us to avoid and minimise flora and fauna impacts from the project.
Environmental management plans will then be prepared to manage impacts through construction and operations of the project.
How is decommissioning paid for?
The decommissioning of the wind farm will be the responsibility of the owner/operator of the wind farm. A decommissioning fund is required to be established to cover the future cost of decommissioning.
Where can I find more information?
This project website will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
We will be hosting a series of community engagement sessions throughout the project development as well.
Insurance
Does Australia's peak industry body for Insurance think that renewables cause rising premiums?
No.
In a statement to the ABC, the Insurance Council of Australia has said:
"The rising cost of cover has nothing to do with renewables. Premiums are rising because of escalating costs of natural disasters, the increasing value of homes and vehicles making them more expensive to replace, and inflation pushing up building and vehicle repair costs"
abc.net.au/news/2024-06-12/farmer-stephen-pumpa-insurance-concerns-neoen-solar-farm/103855680
I am considering hosting project infrastructure or turbines on my property, will this affect my property or public liability insurance?
No.
Hosting of infrastructure or turbines on your property is managed through a lease agreement. Limerick Wind Farm lease agreements will include:
- annual lease payments
- coverage as an additional insured under the project's insurance policy. This means a host is covered if they accidentally cause damage to the wind farm.
- periodic fire safety assessments of your property