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
Part 3A – key steps

Project Application + 1. Planning focus meeting

2. Director General’s Requirements
Environmental Assessment
3. Environmental Assessment
4. Statement of Commitments
Exhibition, Consultation + 5. Adequacy test
Review 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
Key assessment issues

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

Approved MW Under Assessment MW

Black Springs 19 Adjungbilly 39
Cullerin Range 30 Flyers Creek 100
Conroys Gap 30 Carrols Ridge 108
Woodlawn 42 Crookwell III 116
Glen Innes 81 Crudine Ridge (Sofala) 160
Crookwell II 92 Paling Yards 180
Kyoto 126 Birrema 264
Capital 141 Sapphire (Table Top) 525
Boco Rock 146 Yass 547
Taralga 186 2,039
Gullen Range 241
Silverton (Stage 1) 846
Silverton (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 DCP controls – wind farms
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  
Small wind
10kW,
• 0-30kW Goulburn

• 15-40m high 12m tower

5kW, Newcastle, 18m tower

2.5kW
10kW, South Coast, 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