Plans to build a 900MW wind farm on Robbins Island in north-west Tasmania have taken another step forward after the massive project was given local council approval.
Circular Head Council on Thursday voted in favour of the 122 turbine wind farm, at a meeting attended by more than 100 people.
The project, which is being developed by Acen Australia (formerly UPC\AC Renewables) has been the subject of some controversy, both locally and more broadly in Tasmania, based on concerns of its impact on Robbins Island and its flora and fauna.
In December of last year, the wind farm received approval from the state’s Environmental Protection Authority, but under the extraordinary condition that all 122 of the project’s turbines are shut down for a total of five months of each year.
These “significant mitigation measures” were determined by the Tasmania EPA’s board to protect the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot during periods of migration.
According to the EPA’s report, 383 representations were received in relation to the permit application, covering a range of issues including potential impacts to threatened birds and animals, threatened native vegetation and flora species and noise emissions.
Some of the more vocal critics of Robbins Island have included local groups like the Circular Head Coastal Awareness Network and BirdLife Tasmania, as well as the founder and former leader of the Australian Greens, Bob Brown, who in 2019 said the project’s benefits were outweighed by its impacts on scenery and bird life.
Tasmanian Greens environment spokesperson Dr Rosalie Woodruff said last month that Robbins Island was “simply the wrong place” for a wind farm.
“While the EPA has put in place a five-month shutdown condition to protect the orange-bellied parrot, the other conditions in their approval will not be enough to stop significant impacts on the many other species that inhabit this internationally-significant island ecosystem,” Woodruff said.
Still, the local council has sided with the project going ahead, with five votes in favour to one opposing – although ABC News reports that three other councillors could not vote after declaring conflicts of interest.
According to the ABC report, Circular Head Councillor Tony Hine described the Robbins Island wind farm as a “critical thing for Tasmania.”
“Somewhere along the line, we have got to try and generate the electricity that allows you to cook your toast in the morning, and all those sorts of things,” he said.
“We’ve got to keep moving forward. This project is shovel-ready.”
ACEN Australia’s David Pollington welcomed the council’s approval.
“We believe that Robbins Island Wind offers the right mix of benefits and opportunities for the Circular Head region and the state of Tasmania.
“It’s an exciting next step in the project’s journey that will help lower electricity prices for all Tasmanians,” he said.
The councillor who voted against the project, Sally Collins, cited “grave concerns” about the impact the wind turbines and associated infrastructure would have on the “scenic community.”
All told, the Robbins Island Renewable Energy Park proposes install up to 122 wind turbines over the western two-thirds of the island and potentially battery storage. It is being built alongside the nearby Jim’s Plain Renewable Energy Park, also owned by ACEN, which will include up to 31 wind turbines and solar PV up to 240MW.
The Robbins Island project includes construction of up to three substations on Robbins Island, underground electrical infrastructure, and construction of a bridge between Robbins Island and the mainland and of a wharf for delivery of project components.
Transmission of electricity from the project site is proposed via a new transmission line from Robbins Island Road to Sheffield – a separate project that is subject to its own environmental impact assessments.
