Making the case for wind farms
Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain renewable energy parks promise a brighter future for Tasmania, explains
IN recent months there has been significant community discussion on aspects of the Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain renewable energy park developments. One recurring question has been, what are the benefits for Tasmania?
The Robbins Island Renewable Energy Park and Jim’s Plain Renewable Energy Park projects in North-West Tasmania will deliver significant value for Tasmania. If fully developed, the total investment could be up to $1.6 billion, which would make it one of the largest private investments in the state.
This investment will result in up to 400 direct jobs during construction over four years. Ongoing, the wind farms will support up to 65 direct local jobs and boost employment opportunities on the NorthWest Coast, where unemployment is a significant issue.
As part of the development activities, UPC has been speaking to training providers to see where training opportunities exist, or could be created, to assist with the development of homegrown talent to build and operate these projects.
The energy generated by the wind farms will be put into the Tasmanian network to meet the local demand first. If there is surplus energy or there are high interstate prices, excess supply will be exported from Tasmania.
In times of drought, the projects will reduce the reliance on coal-fired energy imports and gas generation. This ensures a more secure and reliable energy supply for Tasmania. In addition, the developments will generate low-cost energy for the
Tasmanian network and increase competition that will reduce Tasmanian electricity prices.
The energy can also be used to support the pumping of water back into hydro storages, which enables the development of the Battery of the Nation project. This in turn allows greater economic returns to be extracted from the Victorian market through Project Marinus. Without this extra renewable energy, Tasmania will need to import more coal-fired energy from Victoria for the pumping. Further, this additional lowcost energy could aid the development of new Tasmanian industries, such as green hydrogen production.
Tasmanians own more than 25 per cent of the Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain Renewable Energy Park development company and the management and decision-makers live in Tasmania. Passive overseas investors own the rest of the company.
This arrangement is similar to the existing wind farm ownership structures in Tasmania. UPC will be the long-term operator of the renewable energy parks. UPC expects to generate reasonable returns from the project and like all investors in the electricity sector these returns are not likely to be excessive.
Recently, there have been concerns that UPC is not open or transparent in relation to the developments. UPC has had 14 community drop-in sessions and numerous oneon-one meetings over the past two years and given multiple presentations to schools, councils, political parties, industry bodies and interests groups throughout Tasmania.
UPC will continue to engage with the community to ensure we are open and transparent and can optimise the development while considering social, environment and economic outcomes. More information can be found at https:// robbinsislandwindfarm.com.
UPC has listened to community feedback on the development. One key issue has been the transmission line route. Working with TasNetworks and listening to the concerns of the community, we are now proposing to use an alternative route between Hampshire and Sheffield that avoids Leven Canyon. This would be developed by TasNetworks along a route that will minimise impacts and maximise benefits to customers. UPC will focus on the Robbins Island to Hampshire route which crosses predominantly forestry and some farm land.
The development application for this transmission line should be lodged in the first half of 2020. At no time has UPC considered transmission routes through the Tarkine.
A significant number of detailed environmental studies have been done to understand bird movements and potential
This additional low-cost energy could aid the develoment of new Tasmanian industries, such as green hydrogen production
interactions with project infrastructure. These studies have identified the wedgetailed eagle as being most at risk. To minimise potential impacts, we have developed eagle management and monitoring plans, have excluded infrastructure from the vicinity of nests and are investigating the use of sensing technology to detect eagles and shut down turbines. The impact on other bird species, in particular migratory shorebirds, has also been investigated, including engagement with BirdLife Tasmania, which has informed the placement of some infrastructure and the development of exclusion zones.
UPC is currently finalising the Robbins Island Development Application for lodgement.
This application will describe in detail the economic, social, cultural and
environmental elements which will be assessed by the Circular Head Council, and by Tasmania’s Environment Protection Authority.
Furthermore, the project requires approval by the Federal Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. After significant investigations, UPC considers that the Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain projects can be developed while minimising environmental, social and cultural heritage impacts. UPC has invested considerable time and effort into achieving this and is continuing with investigations and modifying project design. UPC will continue to be open and transparent and engage with the community as the projects progress.
The benefits of the Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain projects and the Battery of the Nation concept will allow Tasmania to play an important leading role in decarbonising the National Electricity Market, which will result in significant value through investment, jobs and lower energy prices for Tasmanians.