Project Update Week ending 1 November 2019 RES secures approval for Twin Creek Wind Farm, surpasses 2GW permitted in Australia 24 October - Permit secured for 185MW wind farm with energy firms to navigate development 215MW battery close to proposed challenges such as grid connection hurdles, transmission link between South Australia and and operational challenges like price risk, with New South Wales increasingly sophisticated asset management - Wind farm takes RES past 2GW approved for approaches. development, with over 750MW delivered by firm’s construction services and asset Matt Rebbeck, CEO of RES in Australia, said: management team “To ensure continued investor confidence in the sector each and every project must be RES, the world’s largest independent well-sited for both resource and grid renewable energy company, has secured connection. RES has worked to manage these planning permission for the 51-turbine Twin market challenges and, as a result, has built a Creek Wind Farm and battery storage facility, particularly strong project pipeline. As such, 90km to the north of Adelaide. Following we’re pleased to announce that the development consents for the 200MW permitting of Twin Creek Wind Farm sees us Avonlie Solar Project in New South Wales in exceed 2GW approved for development. August and the 176MW Pallamana Solar Farm in South Australia in July, this sees RES surpass “Current grid challenges, and growing 2GW of permitted wind and solar projects in appetite from Australian businesses for Power Australia. Purchase Agreements have also resulted in a strong demand for construction and asset In addition, RES’ pipeline of third-party management services provision from construction services and asset management experienced partners who can manage long- contracts continues to grow to support the term risks for investors. Leveraging the global large number of renewable and solar projects expertise of the RES Group alongside the across the country entering long term market-specific knowledge the team have operation, with more than over 750MW established over the past decade in Australia, under management to date. RES has achieved a portfolio of over 750MW of assets in operation, constructed or under Renewable energy continues to see construction.” encouraging growth in Australia, but to ensure investor confidence and sustain this Twin Creek delivers net gains for community expansion, increasingly advanced and biodiversity development and asset management The 185MW Twin Creek project is sited near approaches are called for. Ongoing success to the proposed 275-kV transmission line will be dependent on the ability of renewable linking South Australia and New South Wales, Page 1 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) Project Energy Connect. Once completed, the Crookwell III Wind Farm state, already a leader in Australian renewables with wind and solar accounting refused development consent for more than 50% of energy generation, will 25 October be ideally positioned as an exporter of high The state’s Independent Planning Commission volumes of renewable energy to the eastern has refused development consent for a multi- seaboard. million-dollar wind farm development in the NSW Southern Tablelands. Dan Leahy, Twin Creek Project Manager, RES, said: “The team sited and designed Twin The Department of Planning, Industry and Creek Wind Farm to make best possible use of Environment referred the proposed 23- the very high wind speeds recorded at the turbine Crookwell III Wind Farm to the exposed, ridgeline site whilst responding to Commission for determination in April this the unique environmental circumstances and year amid community opposition. concerns of the local community.” Commissioners Peter Duncan (Panel chair), The layout of the site, fine-tuned by RES Professor Zada Lipman and Adrian Pilton were through discussions with the local community, appointed to consider the $120-million sees the turbines maintain a two-kilometer project, earmarked for a 1500-hectare site at buffer from the nearest non-associated Crookwell, 25km northwest of Goulburn. dwellings to keep noise well below guideline levels. Likewise, the layout will be highly The Commissioners met with Crookwell sensitive to wildlife in the surrounding area, Development Pty Ltd (the Applicant), including southern hairy nosed wombats and Department and Upper Lachlan Shire Council. the pygmy blue-tongued lizard. To minimize They also held a public meeting in Crookwell the impact of the development on their to listen to the community’s concerns which habitats, the number of turbines has been centred around visual and landscape impacts, limited and biodiversity offset areas have potential human health impacts and been identified to improve the outlook for remediation and rehabilitation. each species. After carefully considering all the evidence Dan continued, “We are proud to say that we and weighing the community’s views, the have taken every possible action to mitigate Commission has today (Friday 25 October the impact of this development on the local 2019) determined to refuse this state wildlife and community. Our aim is for Twin significant development application. Creek to support the area’s biodiversity as well as its people, and the project will bring In its Statement of Reasons for Decision, the 160 construction jobs, followed by ongoing Commission concluded that while the wind employment for 8 people. The local towns farm “would result in the public benefits of have seen a number of businesses close in delivering renewable energy and reduce the recent years, and this project will provide a reliance on fossil fuel consumption, there are tremendous economic boost to the area.” significant residual issues”, including: • the visual impacts of the Project are Source: RES Group unacceptable given the significant visual impacts on multiple residences and the proximity of turbines to non-associated residences • the site is not suitable for the Project, because of its proximity to and the nature and scale of visual impacts on residences and the community Page 2 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) • the Project is inconsistent with objects (a), More south-west solar signs up (b), (e) and (g) of the Environmental Planning 28 October and Assessment Act 1979 and is therefore not Queensland’s largest solar energy project in the public interest; and near Miles has signed up to connect to the • the Project does not satisfactorily address state’s publicly-owned electricity grid. the objectives of the E3 – Environmental Management Zone of the Upper Lachlan LEP Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said 2010 that require the protection of aesthetic Luminous Energy has completed a contract to values connect its proposed 162 megawatt Columboola Solar Farm to the state’s network The Commission also cited the Project’s via Powerlink’s nearby Columboola potential adverse cumulative impacts in an Substation. area where there are other wind farms already operating. Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the solar farm would provide up to 400 “The community raised a number of construction jobs and the substation and significant concerns about the visual impacts transmission line works would support of the project on surrounding residences and another 17 jobs. the cumulative effect of wind farm projects with residences potentially able to view wind “Our state’s renewable revolution is full turbines in multiple viewing sectors,” the steam ahead with almost 2400 megawatts of Commission noted. “The community renewable energy capacity now operating, expressed concern that wind farm projects and another 250 MW underway or will transform the landscape from an committed. attractive rural landscape towards an industrial landscape dominated by wind “We already have 30 solar farms, and more turbines.” than 560,000 Queensland rooves sporting solar systems, with combined generation The Department originally referred the SSD capacity of more than 4000 megawatts. application to the former Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) in 2015 with a “Importantly, Columboola solar farm will recommendation that the proposed wind create five permanent jobs in the area on top farm be approved; however, after a holding a of the construction jobs when it comes on line public meeting the PAC sent it back to the in early 2021.” Department for further assessment. Powerlink Interim Chief Executive Kev Kehl The Department completed its final said the connection project involved works at assessment report in April this year, which Powerlink’s existing Columboola Substation concluded the wind farm should be refused. and construction of almost two kilometres of transmission line. The Commission’s Statement of Reasons for Decision is available here: “We have been partnering with the Luminous https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/projects/2015/ Energy project team over an extensive period 02/crookwell-iii-windfarm of time to optimise their connection,” Mr Kehl said. Source: NSW Independent Planning Commission “Powerlink has delivered 13 connections for large-scale renewable projects across Queensland, representing more than 1,600MW of potential generation.” Page 3 (Click on relevant project links to go to online Project Database) Luminous Energy CEO Jolyon Orchard said the Ergon Energy to maximise power output while project is a major boost for clean energy minimising impacts to the network”, said Lee. generation in Queensland. The solar farm and associated substation infrastructure have been successfully “We are proud to bring this significant supply energised using the local distribution network of clean energy to a major demand centre of to allow compliance and functional tests to be the grid. The project will significantly undertaken. The Australian made 33/110kV contribute to the Queensland Government’s transformer that will connect the solar farm goal of 50 per cent renewable energy by to the transmission network, is also in the 2030,” Mr Orchard said. final stages of commissioning by Wilson Transformer Company. “The sophisticated electrical design of the plant will enable a robust flow of low carbon The Yarranlea Solar Farm is located near electricity to Queensland’s grid.