The Queensland Government has announced the review of the regulatory framework for wind farm developments in the State.
The Wind Farm Code (State Code 23) and its related standards will be reviewed to increase community and industry confidence in renewable energy projects.
State Code 23 already includes measures to ensure that wind farms are constructed and operated to minimise negative impacts on the natural environment, ecological processes, visual amenities, air services, transport networks, and noise levels.
“The Sunshine State is leading the renewable energy revolution and wind farms are helping power this transformation. Queensland has some of the world’s best wind resources that can be harnessed to power hundreds of thousands of homes with cleaner and cheaper energy,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.
Deputy Premier Miles stated that the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan will unlock more investment, economic growth, and more jobs in the region than ever before.
He highlighted the need for transparent and predictable regulatory frameworks to support the progress.
“The Palaszczuk Government committed to a review of the planning framework for renewable energy development and we are delivering on it. We have listened to the community, and worked with other government agencies, local councils and stakeholders to establish the issues to be addressed in the review,” he stated.
“This review is designed to strengthen those protections for communities and the environment, while creating certainty and clarity for industry with clearer benchmarks for managing environmental and construction impacts,” he added.
The Wind Farm Code and its related guidelines will be reviewed to:
- Better protect areas of high ecological and biodiversity value
- Safeguard the Great Barrier Reef against the impact of construction
- Identify and evaluate suitable haulage routes upfront
- Bring acoustic criteria up to date with current best practices
- Emphasise rehabilitative needs and expectations; and
- Require proponents to study the impact of their construction on local workforces and accommodations.
The State Code guideline will be updated to reflect these changes and offer clarity on how to construct and support applications under the code.
The State Government currently analyses all wind farm proposals under Queensland’s current planning regulations through the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).
SARA has reviewed and authorised several wind farms in Queensland in recent years, but implementing the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan has resulted in more opportunities than ever before.
“We want to strike the right balance as our clean energy transformation continues. It’s a necessary step to build certainty and confidence of the community, industry and investors in clean energy projects,” Minister for Energy and Renewables Mick de Brenni said.
“Improving co-existence of renewable energy projects with other land uses, in particular those with strong environmental and agricultural values will benefit all parties,” Minister de Brenni added.
The proposed amendments will be open for public comment on Monday, 7 August, and close on Monday, 4 September.
