City of Albany Renewable Energy Facilities policy | Australian Markets
A draft policy governing future renewable power initiatives in Albany is out for remark, with one councillor dubbing it an “insurance” policy to make sure the neighborhood will not be steamrolled by the renewables wave.
The City of Albany’s draft Renewable Energy Facilities native planning policy would place locational, environmental and aesthetic stipulations on builders to make sure initiatives don’t adversely have an effect on surrounding neighbours, agricultural productiveness, visible amenity and present fauna and flora.
It additionally consists of a situation that a project should ship “meaningful and enduring” neighborhood advantages all through its lifetime and for builders to restore any roads broken during the course of construction.
Speaking on the draft policy on the council’s July assembly, Cr Malcolm Traill stated it was sensible for town to be ready, having seen close by shires “shafted” by builders.
“I think we all know in our heart of hearts that renewable energy in some shape or form is coming up albeit around us, as we’re looking at our wind farm, our tidal energy research,” he stated.
“It’s actually been pointed out that some of those councils are really being shafted by some of the renewable energy companies who are coming in expecting everything for nothing.
“Councils are going out of their way to try and facilitate these projects but are left lamenting.
“So, from our point of view, having a policy which actually defines what a proposal can do and should do — and they have to comply with for these big projects — I think it’s very important.”
The policy follows the adoption of a comparable one by the Wheatbelt city — and budding renewable hub — of Narrogin, the place at the very least six renewable power initiatives are within the pipeline.
Albany led the charge into renewable power in 2001 when the State’s first large-scale wind farm, Albany Grasmere Wind Farm, was constructed at Sandpatch.
Its 18 generators are estimated to supply 80 per cent of town’s power.
Sandpatch’s waters have additionally been touted as an excellent web site for harnessing wave energy, with UWA’s Marine Energy Research Australia initiative supervisor Wiebke Ebeling labelling the positioning because the “gold standard” for wave power manufacturing.
Though no new large-scale initiatives are at present proposed for town, Cr Traill labelled the policy a good factor to “have in place” earlier than builders put something ahead.
“It’s sort of like insurance,” he stated.
“It’s something that you mostly have but hope you’ll never have to use.”
Public feedback will be made on the City of Albany web site or through emailing [email protected].
The remark period is open till midnight on August 28.
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