Call to change turbine setbacks

Ms Lovell spoke in parliament recently to ask the minister to review the distance that wind turbines must be set back from homes to limit the impact of noise, and consider extending it in light of increasing turbine heights.

The Liberal and National coalition introduced a wind turbine setback of 2km in Victoria, then in 2015 the Labor Government reduced that setback from 2km to 1km.

During the Nanneella meeting, residents noted that when Labor changed the setback from 2km to 1km, wind turbine heights were typically 150m at the tip.

However, the newer turbines that Fera is proposing to install in this location are closer to 230m at the tip, and the meeting heard that these larger and higher turbines will cast noise further than the smaller turbines that the 1km setback was modelled on.

Ms Lovell said the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner’s 2021 annual report recommended that state governments introduce a default setback of 1.5km for wind turbines with tips above 200m to limit noise effects, and consider a longer setback to minimise impact on visual amenity.

“My constituents have serious and legitimate concerns about the effects of increasingly larger wind turbines, and I urge the minister to review the current setback distance and consider extending it to 1.5 or two kilometres,” she said.

The only wind farm operating in the Goulburn Valley is the 58 Megawatt Cherry Tree Wind Farm near Trawool, which has 16 turbines.

Fera Australia is proposing to build a wind farm in the Strathbogie Ranges near Seymour with between 80 and 100 turbines.

Fera is investigating the connection route to plug the Seymour Project into the National Grid, with the goal of a finalised route by the end of 2024.

The wind turbine area is bound by Avenel, Longwood, Ruffy, Highlands and Tarcombe.

This area was selected based on its strong wind resource and its proximity to the main transmission line between Melbourne and Sydney.

Fera is proposing two other wind farms in northern Victoria — one near Nanneella and one near Rushworth — to connect with the Bendigo-Shepparton 220 Kv transmission line.

Consultation meetings on Victoria’s proposed renewable energy zones will be held this week in northern Victoria.