Planning for Renewable Energy in NSW

Jonathon Carle Specialist Planner (Policy, Planning Systems & Reform)

LANDHOLDERS & WIND FARMS WORKSHOP

27 August 2010

Summary

1. Commercial-scale wind farms• Typically 10 to 1,000 megawatts• ‘Major development’ if over $30 million• Minister for Planning determines

2. Community-scale wind farms• Typically 1 to 10 megawatts• Council determines if under $5 million• Joint Regional Planning Panel determines if $5-30 million

3. Small wind • Typically less than 30 kilowatts (0.03 megawatts)• Exempt – no approvals required• Complying – 10-day approval by council / accredited certifier

1. Commercial-scale wind farms

Part 3A ‘Major Projects• >$30 million for electricity generating works

($5 million in an environmentally sensitive area)

• Deals with complexity of major projects • Integrates approvals under 9 Acts• Department of Planning assesses• Planning Minister approves

Permissibility

State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007

• Applies state-wide + prevails over local council controls

• Electricity generating works– ‘permissible with consent’ in various Rural, Industrial,

Special Purpose zones

• Electricity transmission or distribution network– ‘permissible without consent’ by a public authority on any

land

Project Application +

Environmental Assessment

1. Planning focus meeting

2. Director General’s Requirements

3. Environmental Assessment

4. Statement of Commitments

Exhibition, Consultation + Review

5. Adequacy test

6. Exhibition

7. Proponent considers submissions

8. Preferred Project Report

Assessment + Determination 9. DoP Assessment report

10. Minister makes a decision

Implementation 11. Implement conditions of approval

12. Monitoring + reporting

13. Community consultation

Part 3A – key steps

Key assessment issues

• Noise• Visual• Economic• Aircraft• Ecological• Heritage• Telecommunications• Consultation

Projects underway

Approved MW Under Assessment MWBlack Springs 19 Adjungbilly 39Cullerin Range 30 Flyers Creek 100Conroys Gap 30 Carrols Ridge 108Woodlawn 42 Crookwell III 116Glen Innes 81 Crudine Ridge (Sofala) 160Crookwell II 92 Paling Yards 180Kyoto 126 Birrema 264Capital 141 Sapphire (Table Top) 525Boco Rock 146 Yass 547Taralga 186 2,039Gullen Range 241Silverton (Stage 1) 846Silverton (Stage 2) 948

2,928

Project locations

Part 3A - streamlining initiatives

• Increased certainty – wind farms over 30MW ‘critical infrastructure’

• Financial incentives – critical infrastructure fees waived

• Timely assessments – 4 month performance target

• Industry partnerships – green ‘go to’ person

• End 2010 – NSW Wind Farm Planning Guidelines

Community wind power

• Typically 0-10MW• Permissibility – certain rural, industrial and special use

zones• Development standards – council DCP• State agency approvals – eg heritage, threatened

species, mining subsidence• Lodge a Development Application, incl. SEE• Consent / determining authority:

• Council determines application if under $5 million• Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) determines application if

$5-30 million• Commonwealth approvals – threatened species

• NSW Community Wind Power Guidelines – end 2010

Council Glenn Innes Severn Oberon Upper Lachlan Goulburn Mulwaree

Precinct Northern Western Southern Southern

Setback from house 2 km 1.5 km 2 km 0.35 km

Setback from road T. height x 2 T. height + 20% T. height x 2

Public notification 5 km 2 km 5 km

Visual

Viewing Area

Noise

Flora & Fauna

Shadow Flicker

Blade Glint

EMR

Turbine Arrangement

Road impacts

Heritage

Bushfire

Aviation

Community Consultation

Community Enhancement

Council DCP controls – wind farms

Small wind

• 0-30kW• 15-40m high

5kW, Newcastle, 18m tower

10kW, South Coast, 12m tower

2.5kW

10kW, Goulburn

12m tower

Small wind – planning provisions

Existing• ‘Exempt’ – self assess, no planning approval

• Development standards – rural land use zone, ground mounted, free standing, off grid

Very soon (next 2-4 months)• Exempt – as above but allow on grid, limit one per property, possible height

and generating limits

• Complying – 10-day approvals, 5-10 times faster / cheaper than DA process– Ground mounted – range of land use zones, height limits, generating limits, setbacks

based on noise level– Building mounted

Thank you

Jonathon Carle

jonathon.carle@planning.nsw.gov.au

(02) 9228 6416