What's driving renewable interest in Northern Grampians?
The Victorian State Government is in the process of transitioning away from coal-powered energy generation with a focus on moving to more renewable energy sources.
Along with other parts of Victoria, Northern Grampians Shire is seen as being in a naturally rich wind and solar zone, making it a high-interest location for potential renewable energy projects.
Many in our community have raised serious concerns about how the renewable energy transition is being managed. Members of our farming communities feel there has been a lack of genuine consultation and meaningful engagement - especially in relation to large-scale renewable energy developments that directly affect their land, livelihoods, and way of life.
This page explains which agencies are responsible for renewable energy projects, outlines the developments currently proposed or in planning within our region, and provides links to council's advocacy efforts. Here, you’ll find the key issues we’ve raised and the steps we’re taking to ensure our community's voice is heard.
Who are the responsible authorities for these projects?
The Victorian State Government is responsible for managing these projects. It does so via a state government agency called VicGrid which is tasked with coordinating the planning and development of Victoria’s Renewable Energy Zones and transmission infrastructure to support this transition.
As part of their role, VicGrid are developing , the overarching long-term strategic plan which will outline how they believe our state can move towards their renewable transition goals.They are also creating , areas of the state that they believe have abundant renewable energy resources, such as wind and sun, but are also appropriate for development from a land use and environmental perspective.
You can find out more about VicGrid here.
In addition, the Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for all new planning permit applications for energy generation facilities that are one megawatt or greater. In our case, this includes facilities such as wind and solar. The minister is also the responsible authority for all new planning permit applications for utility installations which includes battery facilities with a capacity of 1 megawatt or greater, and power lines and substation facilities that connect other energy generation facilities to the broader electricity network.
You can find out more about the Minister's role here.
What projects are currently planned for Northern Grampians?
Our shire already has a number of approved and operational renewable projects such as the Bulgana Windfarm and Battery, the Ararat Windfarm, the Stawell Solar Farm, and the Ledcourt Solar Farm. There are also approved projects that are yet to be constructed such as the Joel Joel BESS project.
Additionally, there are several proposed projects currently undergoing investigation such as the Watta Wella Windfarm and Battery Station, Campbells Bridge Windfarm, and the Navarre Green Energy Hub. It is also worth noting that the VNI West and Western Renewables Link projects are two transmission lines that are proposed to run through the shire to distribute the energy that is generated from the other projects mentioned above.
You can find out more about each of these projects below, including relevant contact details should you have any questions or want to speak with someone about a particular project. Alternatively, you can also read more information about council's advocacy efforts.
Northern Grampians Shire Council has a responsibility to our community to stay across all renewable projects being planned across our shire so we can advocate on your behalf where required.
There are a number of people involved in this process at council. Should you wish to find out more or speak with a council representative, please call our Customer Service team on (03) 5358 8700 or email renewables@ngshire.vic.gov.au.