Wind farms
How do wind farms generate electricity?
Wind flows over the blades like air flowing over an aeroplane wing. This flow of air causes a difference in air pressure between the front and back of the blade, moving the blades forward and making the central rotor spin.
The spinning rotor drives a generator, converting motion into electricity to export to the grid.
How much land do you need for a wind farm?
Wind farm infrastructure usually takes up less than 5% of the land it’s located on. The example below represents close turbine spacing where the turbines can be placed optimally on a flat area of land. The total area in the example below is 320 hectares, and the area occupied by the wind turbines and roads equates to approximately 12 hectares.
EXAMPLE
2km x 1.6km area hosting 7 x 7.2mw turbine
How tall are the turbines?
The turbines proposed to be used on the Devlins Bridge Wind Farm are 290m high from the ground to the tip of the rotor.
What is shadow flicker?
Wind turbines and their blades can cast shadows on nearby land. When viewed from a stationary position, the blade’s moving shadows appear to flicker, giving rise to the term ‘shadow flicker’.
Wind energy guidelines limit the shadow flicker experienced at any neighbouring dwelling to an average 30 hours per year as a result of the operation of the wind farm. An assessment of shadow flicker will be undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process to ensure the project is compliant with guidelines.
What about reflections from the turbines causing glare?
This is known as blade glint. Blade glint can be produced by the reflection of the sun’s light from smooth and reflective surfaces. Modern wind turbine blades are typically coated with non-reflective paint, to prevent the occurrence of blade glint.
The project
Where is the project?
The project is located on privately owned land near Euroley in the Narrandera Shire. It is approximately 25km west of Narrandera, to the south of the Sturt Highway.
How big will the wind turbines be?
The technology for the project is yet to be finalised, it is expected however that the turbines will be approximately 290m tall.
How many turbines will be installed?
The project is expected to host up to 94 turbines across 6800 hectares.
Are you building a transmission line?
The wind farm will connect to the existing NSW transmission network via a new terminal station located on the existing 330kV transmission line, within the project boundary. A series of underground cables will connect the wind turbines to an on-site substation and then to the new terminal station.
No new overhead transmission lines are required for the project.
Project benefits
Is there a community benefits package?
A community benefits package will be established for project, $1050 per mega-watt per annum has been budgeted for the package. The package includes a community benefit fund, a neighbour benefit fund and contributions to the local council. The wind farm is planned to be 680MW which would equate to $680,000 per annum. The final size of the wind farm will be determined through the development application process.
Will you have neighbour payments?
A neighbour benefit fund will be established as part of the overarching community benefits package. The fund will include budget for annual payments to neighbours near to the project and budget for impact mitigation, for example, tree planting to screen visual impacts from the project.
Will you upgrade any infrastructure to construct the project?
The main site access is likely to be from the Sturt Highway, onto Mundarra Road, and then onto the Devlin’s Bridge Wind Farm site. Mundarra Road is a dry access only road, managed by Narrandera Shire Council. As part of project construction, the project will upgrade Mundarra road and then maintain it for the life of the project.
Project impacts
Will I be able to hear the wind farm?
Within 2km of a turbine, it is likely that you will be able to hear some sound. Most people hear a soft woosh-woosh noise. It is difficult to hear a wind farm over the background sound in country Australia from anywhere outside of 2km, unless there are unusual conditions present.
There are some resources available on line including a video called “The sound of wind farms” which was created by TasNetworks in Tasmania in partnership with sound engineers Arup. You can find it on YouTube.
Will I be able to see the wind farm?
An assessment of visual impact from the wind farm will be undertaken as part of the development and approvals process. Views from dwellings and other local view points will be considered in this assessment. We will share this assessment as well as photo montages at future community engagement sessions.
What happens in a bush fire?
A bushfire risk assessment is undertaken for each project and a bushfire management plan will be prepared and made available to the community. The management plan includes details of water tanks and other firefighting equipment maintained at the wind farm site, and how the wind farm personnel and equipment will assist firefighting efforts in case of bushfires in the region.
The wind turbines to be used on the project are fitted with advanced smoke detection and fire suppression systems. When smoke is detected, a signal is sent to the operator who will immediately shut down the turbine and alert the fire authority.
The suppression system will activate in the event of fire, a gas suppressant is released to extinguish any fire, the types of gas used are environmentally safe and act to cool the fire and remove oxygen to extinguish flames.
What about lightning strikes?
Wind turbines lightning protection systems that are able to draw lightning strikes safely to ground without injury to people or property. According to the CSIRO, lightning strike is the most common cause of bushfires. The height of wind turbines, coupled with these lightning protection systems substantially reduce the chance of lightning strike on trees, fences and buildings in the area around the wind farm.
How will you manage environmental concerns?
As part of the development and approvals process for the project a series of surveys and assessments will be undertaken. The surveys are to determine the potential impact of the project on the local environment. The results of these surveys will be used in the design process to help us to avoid and minimise flora and fauna impacts from the project.
Environmental management plans will then be prepared to manage impacts through construction and operations of the project.
Where can I find more information?
This project website will be updated with new information as it becomes available. You can also sign up for the project newsletter.
We will be hosting a series of community engagement sessions throughout the project development as well.