Wind Farms

Client: Various

Millin EMS has been engaged as the environmental consultant to various wind farm development projects in Tasmania, including Jims Plain Wind Farm, Robbins Island Wind Farm and Stage 1 & 2 of the Woolnorth Wind Farm Development.

Key Issues in wind farm projects include community acceptance of the project and community involvement, sensitivity of turbine generator locations to the surrounding environment and social setting, and selection of a transmission corridor with respect to site constraints such as threatened species habitats and infrastructure services.

Other major issues may include the introduction of weeds and plant pathogens during the construction phase and the collision of birds or bats with rotor blades and transmission lines.

Project components commonly involve reviewing the environmental requirements of the project and the preparation of documents for referral of the project to Environment Australia.

Coordination of a community consultation process and meetings with other stakeholders, such as government, are generally fundamental for the scoping of environmental, social and economic issues related to the project. Millin EMS has often used the results of such consultation processes as the basis for preparing Issues and Options Reports.

Turbines at the Woolnorth Wind Farm

Other major project components include the preparation of a Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan and the coordination of the environmental assessments and approvals process.

During the construction phase, ongoing environmental audits and provision of on-site advice is essential to ensure compliance with environmental requirements.