OUR APPROACH

We’re committed to ongoing and genuine engagement with the local community and project stakeholders. Because building strong relationships is crucial to any socially sustainable project.

The Clean Energy Council has developed a Best Practice Charter for Renewable Energy Projects with an emphasis on community engagement. We’re committed to honouring this charter in our renewable energy projects.

We’ll continue to engage with neighbours and broaden the consultation effort to include the wider community and stakeholders throughout the planning process. And we’ll continue to engage as we do more assessments and investigations.

This consultation will provide valuable local insights into identifying opportunities and constraints for the proposal. Please use the signup form below to register your interest.

Queensland has an integrated development application, assessment and decision-making system. Local governments are usually the development assessment manager, however, where state interests are affected, the Planning Regulation 2017 may require that certain development applications be referred to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).

SARA is the first and only point of contact for development applications where the state has a jurisdiction under the Planning Act 2016, and the assessment manager for all wind farm development applications.

Once referred to SARA, development applications will be assessed against the State Development Assessment Provisions (SDAP). Wind farms can require either State code 23: Wind Farm development or Environmental impact assessment. A development application for a wind farm will be subject to code assessment if:

• All wind turbines for the wind farm are at least 1500 metres from a sensitive land use on a non-host lot; or

• One or more wind turbines for the wind farm is less than 1500 metres from a sensitive land use on a non-host lot and the owner of the non-host lot has, by deed, agreed to the turbines being less than 1500 metres from the sensitive land use. See section 45 of the Property Law Act 1974 for the formal requirements for deeds executed by individuals.

If a development application is not subject to code assessment, it will be subject to impact assessment.

A material change of use for a wind farm is required to be assessed against State code 23: Wind farm development of SDAP. The wind farm development may also trigger assessment against other state codes within SDAP.

The assessment materials for the Mount Challenger Wind Farm will be accessible on the State Assessment and Referral Agency Portal, here

Tetris Energy will undertake comprehensive technical, environmental, and social studies which, together with further community consultation, will shape the development of the Mount Challenger Wind Farm. This includes continuing our engagement with Whitsunday Regional Council communities to understand ways that the area can benefit from the project, such as a key gap in infrastructure or suggestions for local initiatives, such as development of a benefit sharing program to support the local community and provide a long-lasting legacy in the area.

As the heart of the Greater Barrier Reef, sustainability is a central theme throughout the Whitsunday region. From reef restoration and water quality to on-farm practices and recycling, ensuring that the economy can grow in a sustainable manner will be important for the future.

Investment in the Whitsunday Regional Council region through the Mount Challenger Wind Farm will assist:

·         employment – both direct (technicians, electricians etc) and indirect (concrete, services etc).

·         energy reliability and security for the region.

·         broader community-led funding initiatives.

·         provide renewable energy supply for local battery energy storage projects.

·         utilise the regions existing transmission assets.

·         opportunity to transition from coal-fired power extraction and generation to renewable energy.

Register your interest as a local supplier on the form below.

The Mount Challenger Wind Farm will have the potential to supply clean energy to around 84,000 Queensland homes and avoid approximately 360,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The Australian energy landscape is transitioning to a greater mix of low-emission renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Factors driving this transition include:

•         Demand for more reliable energy supply.

•         Consumer demand for lower energy bills.

•         State and federal government commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

•         Scheduled closure of fossil-fuel generation sources such as coal.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has identified that storage capacity needs to triple within the National Energy Market to meet electricity demands. Queensland is accelerating towards its renewable energy targets and now boasts 52 large-scale renewable energy projects (operating, under construction or financially committed), representing around 8,500 construction jobs, over 6,000 megawatts (MW) of clean energy and more than 14 million tonnes of avoided emissions each year (current as at 30 June 2023).

Once completed, Mount Challenger Wind Farm is expected to operate for up to 35 years. As a signatory to the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter, Tetris Energy is committed to working respectfully with wind farm communities, during wind farm development, construction, operation, and end of life decommissioning and takes community concerns regarding decommissioning seriously.

Decommissioning means that the wind turbines, site office and any other ancillary infrastructure is removed from the site, and roads and foundation pads are covered and revegetated, allowing land to be returned to its former use. Typically, landowner contracts and Development Applications contain definite clauses setting out the expectations around rehabilitating the site.

Read more on the Clean Energy Council’s Decommissioning guidelines here.