“A Trojan horse for communism!” More big batteries head for review as familiar long distance objectors pile in again

Another two big battery projects in New South Wales are destined to head to the state’s independent panel for review after being swamped with letters of opposition, almost entirely from long distance opponents – many of them familiar and serial objectors.

The 200 megawatt (MW), 800 megawatt hour (MWh) Romani battery project near Booroorban in the south-west of the state and the 100 MW, 870 MWh Ebor battery project in the north of the state, have both attracted more than 60 submissions opposing their projects as they work their way through state planning approvals.

Once the numbers objections reach 50, a project must be sent for review by the Independent Planning Commission even if – as is often the case – there are no submissions against the proposal from the local area.

The objections to the Romani and Ebor batteries have a familiar theme. Many are from a network of “SOS”- Save our Surroundings – groups scattered across three states, and several small communities appear to be particularly agitated by battery proposals, wherever they are located.

The small town of Moulamein once again figures prominently, and is the home of 9 different objectors to both the Romani battery, located more than 100 km away from the town of 500 people, and the Ebor battery, more than 1,100 km away.

Residents of Moulamein also figured prominently in opposing a big battery in Sydney, with 12 residents from the town objecting to the project located in an old industrial wasteland next to a freeway in a city 800 kms away, largely because of its supposed impact on agricultural use. The battery was ultimately approved by the IPCN.

See: Big battery in middle of Sydney forced to planning review by residents of tiny towns 800 km away

Other groups of objectors to both the Romani and Ebor batteries are from the towns of Swan Hill and Gannawarra in Victoria, Springfield in Queensland, Hay in NSW, and the small communities of Barham, Coolah, Romney, and Cunninyeuk.

Some of those small towns also featured in opposition to the Sydney battery. Nearly all the submissions are anonymous.

The submissions report prepared for the department by the Romani battery proponents notes 68 submissions opposing the project, but none from the local community.

“It is noted that the majority of the public submissions raised concerns about renewable energy projects in general, and were not specific to the project,” the report says.

There is a familiar theme. Big batteries are a “Trojan Horse for communism”, writes one anonymous objector in full caps, in a claim echoed in several other letters opposing both the Ebor and Romani batteries.

The term “Renewabulls”, also often written in full caps, is also repeated in multiple letters, as does a variation of that term “Ruinabull”.

Another common theme is the claimed use of diesel generators to help cool the batteries. The Samsung C&T owned Romani battery has already submitted its response to submissions report, pointing out that these claims are false.

The project developers say the batteries would use a liquid cooling system, roughly 50 per cent water and 50 per cent ethylene glycol that passes through the battery packs. “The cooling system is not powered by external diesel generators,” it says.

Other objectors raise concerns about slavery, mostly because they assume cobalt is used in the battery. The big batteries, like nearly all the major storage projects, feature lithium-iron phosphate chemistry, which does not use cobalt.

Once referred to the Independent Planning Commission, the IPC will call for more submissions and hold a public meeting, although these are often cancelled due to a lack of interest.

Renewable energy developers have expressed frustration over the planning procession NSW, saying it allows project to be held hostage by activists, while diminishing the important work of the independent panel in looking at genuine concerns from local communities about new projects.

The AFR reported on Monday that NSW is now considering raising the threshold to 100 objections, and not including protests from interstate, saying that the abused process had resulted in a clogging of the planning system.

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