Robbins Island wind farm: ACEN pares back proposal in bid to head off mounting appeals

The proponent of a proposed wind farm in the North-West has tried to shake off a mounting series of appeals against it by cutting the farm’s size by almost 20 per cent. What’s next >

Render showing a future Robbins Island Renewable Energy Park, seen from Montagu, across Robbins Passage. Picture: Robbins Island Wind

The proponent of a proposed wind farm on Tasmania’s North-West Coast has pared back its proposal, shaving dozens of turbines from its plans and making the remaining turbines both shorter and higher off the ground, in an attempt to head off a mounting series of appeals.

ACEN Robbins Island Pty Ltd’s Robbins Island Renewable Energy Park was approved by Circular Head Council in February amid heated protests that it posed a risk both to the migratory, critically endangered orange-bellied parrot and the island Tasmanian devil population, one of the last where devil facial tumour disease is yet to penetrate.

Tasmania’s environmental regulator, the Environment Protection Authority, signed off on the proposal, but imposed a condition, among others, that the farm be non-operational for five months each year, coinciding with the parrot’s annual migration.

The endangered Orange Bellied Parrot at Melaleuca in Tasmania's South West wilderness, near Port Davey Tasmanian Boat Charters Escape to Port Davey adventure Credit: Tasmanian Boat Charters

Now, in a bid to win concessions on the EPA’s ruling, and in defence of five appeals currently before the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, ACEN has pared back its proposal.

Its approval was originally for up to 122 turbines with a maximum height of 270m across 8254ha with a generating capacity of up to 900MW, but according to a decision by tribunal deputy president Richard Grueber allowing the amendment to its development application, ACEN has changed tack.

It now proposes a maximum of 100 turbines, each with a maximum height of 212m; an increased tip height of 40m off the ground, up from 30m; and a reduction in maximum blade length from 110m to 86m, reducing the ‘swept’ diameter from a maximum of 220m to 172m.

The proposed site of the bridge/ causeway for the Robbins Island wind farm development at Montagu. PICTURE: CHRIS KIDD

According to Mr Grueber, ACEN said the amended proposal would “reduce the potential impact” on orange-bellied parrots “in respect of collision risk” by increasing coastal setbacks, decrease the risk to other bird species, and reduce the impact on visual amenity.

Mr Grueber said that the new, pared back proposal would help address grounds of appeal, both from the six appeals relating to Circular Head Council’s approval of the project, and ACEN’s appeal of the conditions imposed by the EPA.

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The six parties appealing council’s approval of the project are: Malcolm Ryan, Paul Smith, Birdlife Tasmania, Bob Brown Foundation and Circular Head Coastal Awareness Network Inc.

All matters, including ACEN’s appeal of the conditions imposed upon it in the granting of a permit, are being heard together.

The proposed site of the Robbins Island wind farm development from Bevan Anderson's property at Montagu. PICTURE: CHRIS KIDD

The expected three-week hearing will commence on September 11.

Separately to the appeals, ACEN also needs to obtain sign-off from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

During May’s Senate estimates, the department’s Head of Environment Approvals Division, Bruce Edwards, said that “further information” had been requested from the proponent relating to how it planned to offset the loss of devil habitat as a result of the development.

The department confirmed that the information remains outstanding.

Originally published as Robbins Island wind farm: ACEN pares back proposal in bid to head off mounting appeals