ACT solar farm proposal riles Uriarra residents

The ACT government has been “swamped” by objections to a proposed 7MW solar farm to be built at Uriarra, west of Canberra.

According to the Canberra Times, the solar farm, being built by Elementus Energy after winning a tender conduction under the ACT’s solar auction program, has attracted 122 submissions, with only six in favour.

Among those objecting to the $17 million project are federal Labor MP Gai Brodtmann, who told the paper that the solar farm would damage the character and appeal of the village, block views, and probably depress house prices.

One resident who wrote in favour of the project, John White, said: “Quite frankly, as the village is advertised as being a sustainable eco village, I do not understand the other resident views for not supporting such a wonderful opportunity the village could have gained by this solar farm.”

Brodtmann told the paper: “It should have been obvious to any developer that a development of this scale, at such close proximity to a rural village, would be contentious.” She wants the solar farm “pushed back” 500 metres.

The paper said residents referred to the solar farm as an “industrial power plant”, and raised concerns about the security fenhttps://reneweconomy.wpengine.com/wp-admin/post-new.php#category-adduriarracing, as well as the light.

One resident who wrote in favour of the project, John White, said: “Quite frankly, as the village is advertised as being a sustainable eco village, I do not understand the other resident views for not supporting such a wonderful opportunity the village could have gained by this solar farm.”

Comments

7 responses to “ACT solar farm proposal riles Uriarra residents”

  1. Biff Avatar
    Biff

    Honest to goodness … I am getting pretty annoyed with this country. The stupidity and nimbyism of the populace is astounding. I’m always sympathetic to the loss of views or other amenities, and wind power can impact on this, but a solar farm?? If there’s a more innocuous and inoffensive form of power generation, let me know.

    Having been involved with my local council at a resident level and on matters of development, the wildly exaggerated claims that some people make is very frustrating. We should ram this through and then shame these knucklebrains live on national TV. Views blocked? Wrong. House prices reduced? Wrong. Excessive lighting at night? Wrong. Town gone to hell in a hand basket? Wrong. Little children and low-flying birds vaporised by solar death rays? Wrong. Solar panels facilitating mind control via The Kremlin? Wrong.

    Let’s shift the town to Morwell and see how the residents enjoy those coal fires.

    1. uknowispeaksense Avatar

      Biff, I like your style. I’ll be sharing your views on my blog.

    2. Hrolle1 Avatar
      Hrolle1

      Biff see above. Happy to champion residents of Morwell. No development or government agent should knowingly place people, communities, families or children at risk.

  2. Peter Campbell Avatar
    Peter Campbell

    The set of townhouses where I live had a proposal to put some PV panels on a large shared carport roof on common property a few years ago. Eventually they went in but only after a third vote (increasing majority in favour each time) and our experience had changed the ACT’s Unit Titles (Management) Act to make it easier to install sustainability infrastructure on common property and harder to prevent it within unit areas.

    Our PV systems is only visible from a small part of the common property along one side of a carpark. They can also be seen from one small side window of only one unit and the owner of that unit was happy to have them. Nonetheless a few owners ran a massive campaign of opposition claiming they would reflect glare into units, that we really wanted to put them somewhere other than where we proposed, that they could not possibly pay back in under 20 years (in spite of highly predictable returns from the ACT’s gross feed-in tariff available at the time), that PV was both a risky new technology and about to be superseded, and so on.
    Now that the system is in, our owners corporation electricity bill is negative and we are putting as much electricity into the grid (without claiming RECS) as we take out for all common property uses (lighting of paths and parking areas) we have not heard a peep out of the detractors.
    It was astonishing the range of knowledge and attitudes we had among owners, from utter ignorance, to antagonism, to support, to an owner whose PhD was on some aspect of the physics of PV cells.

    1. Hrolle1 Avatar
      Hrolle1

      I can imagine your frustration. This development is not even remotely akin to roof top panels which most of the residents have already installed. Most criticism of what we are asking comes from lack of knowledge of what we are saying which is build the Solar Utility for our own safety place it on the alternate block.

  3. Rob G Avatar
    Rob G

    Just a guess, but are all these calls traceable back to Abbotts headquarters?

  4. Hrolle1 Avatar
    Hrolle1

    Some corrections Uriarra Village Residents support renewable energy. Uriarra is greenest suburb in the ACT. We want the development just in a more logical and suitable place. Developer leased 600 hectares off land owner and there is another equally suitable block in this lease agreement 1km to the west . Reason for placements are: Station owner documented opponent to the rebuilding of the village. This placement provides biggest profit for developer, yet moving would cost less than $200,000. Solar Utility is 10MW not 7MW and already same size as village 40 hectares. ACT govt sold village on promise of rural lifestyle and is already discussing doubling development size to 20MW prior to approval of ‘stage 1.’ Project cost over $25Million. Development application states development will have significant visual impact and increase fire hazzard. FIre experts have shown that placement will significantly increase fire and radiant heat risk (radiant heat killed more people in Victorian fires than flame), and block road and access to village by emergency vehicles in event of fire. Location is already considered High Bush Fire Risk Location and fire will trap members of the village blocking road access. FIre started in this area have historically been know to burn through to Weston Creek fanned by winds in excess of 120KM hour (a regular occurrence) All the village residents (400 people including 100 children) ask is for sensible placement a Win-Win is that so difficult. Accuracy makes for a much more balanced discussion.

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