Locals worried about renewable energy projects planned near their New England homes and towns are urged to send their concerns to the NSW government ahead of a looming consultation cut-off date.
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Submissions for the Draft Energy Policy Framework shuts on January 29, 2024, at 11:59pm, giving residents the opportunity to provide feedback on guidelines for wind and solar projects, transmission lines, private agreements and benefit sharing.
Damien Timbs, co-founder of Voice for Walcha, will be among community organisations, including ReD4NE, Hills of Gold, and Boorolong Group, meeting with NSW Department of Environment (DPE) and EnergyCo representatives about the draft guidelines on Thursday, January 18, in Walcha.
It is an organised private meeting, but Mr Timbs said he wanted to find out from the representatives why the New England region was chosen as one of five Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) across the state.
"Also, on the back of the REZ design, we have a transmission line plan, so we want to ask, 'why is the transmission line not following the existing corridor?'" Mr Timbs said.
In 2020, the NSW government introduced legislation that established five REZs where publicly-owned transmission lines that transfer power from renewable energy plants to homes would be built, providing incentive for potential developers.
The New England REZ extends from Glen Innes Severn Shire Council in the north to the Walcha Council area in the south, taking in Armidale, Uralla, and Guyra.
Mr Timbs said the grass-roots groups in-attendance also wanted a clear definition of 'social license', which generally referred to the level of approval for a planned development within the broader community.
"Both departments have stated no project will go ahead unless social licenses are demonstrated," the Walcha farmer said.
Two wind farm projects are slated, but not yet approved, for sites near Walcha - Winterbourne Windfarm, which is being planned by Dutch-based company Vestas, and Ruby Hills which is being developed by Walcha Energy but owned by MariusWind and Energy Estate.
With some turbines expected to stand as tall as 230 metres, locals are also wanting "buffer zones" that stretch at least 10 kilometres from the nearest towns and any national heritage parks.
Mr Timbs said Voice for Walcha did an online survey that resulted in 75 per cent of the 500 responses from a community of about 3,000, disagreeing with the development of the planned Winterbourne Wind Farm.
