Lord Howe Island Board Environmental Report Statement of Environmental Effects LORD HOWE ISLAND HYBRID RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT STAGE 2: WIND TURBINES SEPTEMBER 2016 www.nghenvironmental.com.au e [email protected] Sydney Region Canberra - NSW SE & ACT Wagga Wagga - Riverina and Western NSW 18/21 mary st unit 17/27 yallourn st (po box 62) suite 1, 39 fitzmaurice st (po box 5464) surry hills nsw 2010 (t 02 8202 8333) fyshwick act 2609 (t 02 6280 5053) wagga wagga nsw 2650 (t 02 6971 9696) Newcastle - Hunter and North Coast Bega - ACT and South East NSW Bathurst - Central West and Orana 153 tudor st suite 1, 216 carp st (po box 470) 35 morrisset st (po box 434) hamilton nsw 2303 (t 02 4969 4910) bega nsw 2550 (t 02 6492 8333) bathurst nsw 2795 (m 0448 820 748) Document Verification Project Title: LORD HOWE ISLAND HYBRID RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT STAGE 2: WIND TURBINES Project Number: 6625 Project File Name: LHI ER Final 140916.docx Revision Date Prepared by (name) Reviewed by (name) Approved by (name) Final 8/09/168/ Paul McPherson Nick Graham-Higgs Nick Graham-Higgs 09/168/0 9/168/09/ 168/09/1 68/09/16 8/09/168/ 09/1614/ 09/16 NGH Environmental prints all documents on environmentally sustainable paper including paper made from bagasse (a by- product of sugar production) or recycled paper. NGH Environmental Pty Ltd (ACN: 124 444 622. ABN: 31 124 444 622) and NGH Environmental (Heritage) Pty Ltd (ACN: 603 938 549. ABN: 62 603 938 549) are part of the NGH Environmental Group of Companies. www.nghenvironmental.com.au e [email protected] Sydney Region Canberra - NSW SE & ACT Wagga Wagga - Riverina and Western NSW 18/21 mary st unit 17/27 yallourn st (po box 62) suite 1, 39 fitzmaurice st (po box 5464) surry hills nsw 2010 (t 02 8202 8333) fyshwick act 2609 (t 02 6280 5053) wagga wagga nsw 2650 (t 02 6971 9696) Newcastle - Hunter and North Coast Bega - ACT and South East NSW Bathurst - Central West and Orana 153 tudor st suite 1, 216 carp st (po box 470) 35 morrisset st (po box 434) hamilton nsw 2303 (t 02 4969 4910) bega nsw 2550 (t 02 6492 8333) bathurst nsw 2795 (m 0448 820 748) LORD HOWE ISLAND HYBRID RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT STAGE 2: WIND TURBINES CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... viii 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT ...................................................................................................................1 1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL .............................................................................................................1 1.3 APPROVAL AND TENDER PROCESS ......................................................................................................2 1.4 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................2 1.4.1 Lord Howe Island ................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4.2 Hybrid Renewable Energy Project ......................................................................................................... 3 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL .............................................................................................. 5 2.1 OBJECTIVES ..........................................................................................................................................5 2.2 DESIGN CRITERIA ..................................................................................................................................5 2.3 DEVELOPMENT SITE .............................................................................................................................6 2.3.1 Location ................................................................................................................................................. 6 2.3.2 Site selection .......................................................................................................................................... 6 2.3.3 Site description ...................................................................................................................................... 8 2.4 PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE ..............................................................................................................9 2.4.1 Wind turbines ........................................................................................................................................ 9 2.4.2 Transformers and cabling ...................................................................................................................... 1 2.4.3 Access road ............................................................................................................................................ 2 2.4.4 Fencing and landscaping ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.5 CONSTRUCTION ...................................................................................................................................3 2.5.1 Activities, plant and equipment ............................................................................................................. 3 2.5.2 Temporary facilities ............................................................................................................................... 3 2.5.3 Materials and resources ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.5.4 Construction access and materials delivery .......................................................................................... 3 2.5.5 Site protection and rehabilitation ......................................................................................................... 4 2.5.6 Personnel and work hours ..................................................................................................................... 4 2.5.7 Duration, timing and staging ................................................................................................................. 4 2.5.8 Indicative capital costs ........................................................................................................................... 4 2.6 OPERATION ..........................................................................................................................................5 2.6.1 Operation activities ............................................................................................................................... 5 2.6.2 Periodic and high-wind shutdown ......................................................................................................... 5 2.6.3 Turbine lighting ...................................................................................................................................... 5 6625 Final i LORD HOWE ISLAND HYBRID RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT STAGE 2: WIND TURBINES 2.6.4 Personnel and work hours ..................................................................................................................... 5 2.7 REFURBISHMENT AND DECOMMISSIONING ........................................................................................6 2.8 BIODIVERSITY OFFSET ..........................................................................................................................6 3 ALTERNATIVES AND JUSTIFICATION .......................................................................................... 7 3.1 NEED FOR THE PROJECT .......................................................................................................................7 3.2 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY ........................................................................................................................7 3.3 FUNDING AND FINANCIALS ..................................................................................................................8 3.3.1 Funding arrangements ........................................................................................................................... 8 3.3.2 Increasing distillate prices ..................................................................................................................... 9 3.3.3 External costs of diesel use .................................................................................................................. 11 3.3.4 Effect of periodic shutdown to mitigate impacts ................................................................................ 11 3.3.5 Bird risk mitigation ............................................................................................................................... 12 3.3.6 Social and economic impacts ............................................................................................................... 12 3.3.7 Financial snapshot ............................................................................................................................... 13 3.4 PROJECT BENEFITS ............................................................................................................................ 14 3.4.1 Benefits of the HREP ...........................................................................................................................