Planning and development approval for wind farms and individual wind turbines

The process of finding, planning and developing wind farm sites is a multidisciplinary exercise. It requires finding a balanced path between the needs of the project developer, the landowner, the grid operator, local community and relevant levels of government. The social and environmental accountability of the development must be high and the economic outcomes must be worthwhile. 

To obtain planning consent for your proposed wind farm or wind turbine, you must firstly provide the responsible authority with an objective and independent assessment of the environmental impacts of your proposal. Engaging the services of Enhar can provide this independence.

The scope of such assessments should be based on relevant guidelines, for example the ‘Policy and Planning guidelines for development of wind energy facilities in Victoria’ published by Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria, or its equivalent in other states.

Enhar can design and scope out the particular requirements for your project and manage the whole process, or focus on specific tasks for you. We use a network of affiliated professionals competent in the areas of town and country planning, surveying, ecological flora and fauna, avifauna, cultural and aboriginal heritage, hydrological assessment, soci-economic assessment, geological assessments and more.  Together, these expert assessments come together to form an Environmental Effects Statement or EES, an important requirement for larger wind farms. A smaller version of an EES is usually appropriate for wind clusters or individual turbines.

In-house, we undertake the important areas of noise, visual , shadow-flicker and electro-magnetic-interference assessments:

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NOISE

The noise produced by wind turbines is often considered to be one of the most important factors affecting neighbours.

VISUAL IMPACT

Wind turbines by nature of their size and general locations create a visible addition to the landscape.  A landscape assessment including an accurate representation of the visual appearance is an essential part of the environmental assessment.

SHADOW FLICKER

Shadow-flicker is an occasional problem experienced by neighbours of wind turbines.

ELECTRO MAGNETIC INTERFERENCE

The movement of wind turbine blades can potentially interfere with communications signals, such as radio, television or microwave transmitters. We can scope out this impact by checking the location of licensed communications in the vicinity of your proposed site. 

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In undertaking this wide range of assessments, we believe it is important to focus on the overall aim of achieving the least overall environmental impact. We must accept that the wind turbine development will have some impact on the environment; however, the environmental benefits of the wind farm are equally important. Our design and assessment approach balances the various environmental impacts with the environmental benefits of the proposal.

We take a pride in producing professional grade environmental reports with high quality graphics supporting the text. We provide electronic copies of our reports including all Appendices and figures collated together, ensuring enough copies are with you for your submission.

To receive our assistance to apply for and obtain planning approval for your renewable energy project, please contact us to commence the process and receive our free quotation.