Community Information Booklet www.kentbruckgreenpowerhub.com.au 0431 300 834 [email protected] Finland GLOBALLY Ireland The company is headquartered in Paris, France, and has two France Australian offices – in Sydney and Canberra. United States Jamaica Portugal We operate across renewable Mexico energy technologies including solar, wind and storage in Europe, El Salvador Central America, Africa, the Mozambique Middle East and Australia. Zambia Argentina Australia LOCALLY Neoen Australia began operations in 2012. Over the last seven years DeGrussa Solar and Storage Project the company has initiated the Dubbo Solar Hub development of more than 1GW Hornsdale Wind Farms 1, 2, 3 Parkes Solar Farm of solar and wind projects through Hornsdale Power Reserve Griffith Solar Farm Coleambally Solar Farm organic growth, local partnerships Bulgana Green Power Hub Numurkah Solar Farm and strategic acquisitions. Neoen produce green electricity from renewable sources such as sunlight and wind using mature, tried and tested technologies. We are also leaders in energy storage. Page 2 WORLD’S LARGEST BATTERY HORNSDALE POWER RESERVE LESS THAN SIX MONTHS FROM PROJECT INCEPTION TO COMPLETION • 100MW Lithium-ion battery located next to Hornsdale Wind Farm • Owned and operated by Neoen • Installed and maintained by Tesla • Provides grid stability services • Saved SA energy consumers $50 million in 2018 • 50MW Stage 2 now under construction REDUCES RISK OF BLACKOUT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA Page 3 DELIVERING CHEAPER ENERGY FOR INDUSTRY LAVERTON STEELWORKS VICTORIA Laverton Steelworks have agreed to take power from Neoen's 128 MW Numurkah Solar Farm under a 15-year deal. GFG Alliance’s Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta said the deal would help lower energy costs at Laverton. DEGRUSSA MINING WESTERN AUSTRALIA DeGrussa is the largest off-grid solar battery storage project in Australia. It powers a gold and copper mine in remote WA. Commissioned in June 2016, it provides a solar and storage solution to the majority of the mine’s daytime electricity requirements, offsetting up to 20% of total diesel consumption annually. NECTAR FARMS VICTORIA Bulgana Green Power Hub, consisting of 196 MW of wind backed by a 20MW battery, is co-located with agri-business Nectar Farms to provide secure and affordable energy. Nectar Farms is using the latest in hydroponic glasshouse and plant technology to create a 10 hectare state of the art facility and over 130 local jobs. Page 4 PROPOSED PROJECT TIMELINE January 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Community engagement Wind recording Ecological studies *EES & *EPBC referral *EES & *EPBC assessment *DA preparation including technical studies *EES & *EPBC application *DA assessment Detailed design Construction Operations *KEY Please note that the project is at the early stage of EES EPBC DA development and the timeline is subject to change. Environment Environment Protection & Development The latest information can be found on our website. Effects Statement Biodiversity Conservation Act Application Page 5 VISUAL IMPACT Wind turbines are large features in the environment. Neoen has selected this site partly due to the relatively low density housing in the nearby area. This site minimizes the visual impact of the proposed wind farm. As part of any planning permit application, Neoen will complete a comprehensive assessment of potential impacts on landscape character and visual amenity. We will work with nearby neighbours of the project to fund tree planting and visual screening. If you live nearby we would encourage you to contact us so that we can start talking with you about how this would work. Photo provided by www.uka-gruppe.de/360grad NOISE IMPACT Wind farm projects are subject to strict noise regulations. At neighbouring houses, wind turbine noise must not exceed 40dB(A) or background noise level +5dB(A), whichever is greater. As part of any planning permit application, Neoen will complete a comprehensive assessment of noise levels at all nearby houses in accordance with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) guideline: Development of Wind Energy Facilities in Victoria - Policy and Planning Guidelines and New Zealand Standard 6808:2010 Acoustics – Wind Farm Noise. SOUND NOISE SOURCE LEVEL (DBA) Quiet bedroom 20-25 Rural night-time 20-40 background Typical wind farm (at moderate wind 35-45* speed 7 m/s) Car at 64 km/h at 100m 55 Busy general office 60 Pneumatic drill at 15m 95 *Based on sound level measurements taken from multiple resident locations near two Victorian wind farms, at distances 500–1,000 m from the nearest turbine. Information sourced from Environmental Protection Authority, Victoria. Page 6 SAFEGUARDING ECOLOGY – Neoen is committed to configuring the project to ensure minimal environmental impacts and to safeguard the local ecology. – The project has been sited in a pine plantation in order to reduce the environmental and biodiversity impacts associated with removing native vegetation. – Climate change is a major threat to coastal ecology. Once operational, Kentbruck Green Power Hub will reduce CO2 emissions by 3.5 million tonnes per year. There is a vertical buffer above the pine trees and below the turbine blades, and to some extent the height of the wind turbines can be adjusted depending on survey results. Vertical buffer 45m (minimum lower blade sweep height) 30m Tree height One of the options for the transmission line easement is through underground cabling along an existing dirt road through the Cobboboonee National Park. This low- impact solution would ensure minimal disturbance to flora, fauna and the local 10m community. 5.5m 1.2m Page 7 2019 2020 2021 Common Name Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Coast Helmet-orchid Green-striped Greenhood Winter Sun-orchid River Swamp Wallaby-grass Square Raspwort Swamp Greenhood Swamp Everlasting Wrinkled Cassinia Coastal Leek-orchid Small Sickle Greenhood Mellblom’s Spider-orchid Ornate Pink-fingers Maroon Leek-orchid Coast Dandelion Coast Ixodia Limestone Spider-orchid Clover Glycine Metallic Sun-orchid Colourful Spider-orchid Scented Spider-orchid Robust Spider-orchid Late Helmet-orchid Leafy Greenhood Swamp Diuris Survey window Survey Page 8 FLORA & FAUNA SURVEY PROGRAM 2019 2020 2021 Common Name Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Level 1 brolga assessment underway - further Brolga survey requirements depend on outcomes of L1 Lewin’s Rail Little Egret Eastern Great Egret Little Bittern Freckled Duck Blue-billed Duck White-bellied Sea Eagle Striped Worm-lizard Swamp Skink Growling Grass Frog Orange-bellied Parrot Australasian Bittern Survey and targeted Red-tailed Black observations of flight Cockatoo height 12 month Southern Bent-wing Bat program Southern Brown Bandicoot Swamp Antechinus Long-nosed Potoroo Heath Mouse Migratory shorebirds Bird Utilisation Surveys Survey window Survey Page 9 ECONOMIC BENEFITS $1.2 BILLION ~200 JOBS $1.8 MILLION $1.1 MILLION 14 JOBS INFRASTRUCTURE CREATED DURING ANNUALLY IN ANNUALLY WHEN PROJECT IS INVESTMENT CONSTRUCTION FIRE LEVIES IN LAND RATES OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ABILITY TO PRODUCE APPROXIMATELY 3,300,000 MWh PER YEAR WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO: DISPLACING POWERING REMOVING PLANTING 3,500,000 TONNES 500,000 HOMES 860,000 CARS 4.3 MILLION TREES OF CO2 EMISSIONS FROM THE ROAD Page 10 LOCAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS $150,000 PER YEAR for local projects and initiatives throughout the project lifespan (approximately 30 years) In early discussions, community members have proposed the following ideas. You know this area and local community best so we’d like to hear from you. Help to prevent electricity Solar and/or storage Lower energy bills Support for eco/ black-outs in Nelson for homes environmental tourism through battery storage Opportunity to invest in Yackandah solar hub Tree planting Tell us your ideas the project for Nelson To submit your ideas, please fill out a survey or visit our website Page 11 SITE PHOTOS FROM NEOEN’S HEDETN WINDärpiö -FARM,FINLAN FINLANDD Page 12 PREDICTED CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS FOR THE AREA Content provided by AECOM Annual Glenelg Hwy precipitation is likely to decrease 8.5- 27%; evaporation would increase 9.1-21.4% Mt Gambier The wetlands will become more saline, changing which species grow and survive Palpara Princes Hwy Dartmor-Hamilton Hwy Plantation Change in composition of vegetation across the entire area Lower Glenelg River Crawford River Regional Park Nelson Cobboboonee National Park Kentbruck Sea levels Green Power Hub to rise by up to Portland-Nelson Rd Narrawong 84cm Ocean surface likely Floral Reserve to be warmer Storm surges resulting in intrusion of excess saltwater into freshwater ecosystems Portland Habitat availability for birds likely to be reduced Average sea Increase in coastal temperature is likely to erosion be 3–3.8º C warmer Fish deaths more likely Algal blooms more likely 5 km 10 km Page 13 PROJECT TIMELINE PHASE 1: DEVELOPMENT Ees Process begins Community Info Day Choose site Meet local Meet Community Environmental land owners traditional Info Day surveys, owners local input, design CONTRACT Government submission Ees Process ENDS Appoint Grid connection Government Public contractors agreement approval exhibition Local jobs PHASE 2: session CONSTRUCTION Regular community Arrange finance Prepare for Hire workers Build updates construction PHASE 3: Testing & OPERATION accreditation Operations & maintenance Launch Community Plant trees Generate