Green energy plan for Scone

Hunter Valley News
Wednesday 17/1/2007 Page: 2

A PROPOSAL for an energy park near Scone could see the town home to clean and renewable energy within a matter of years. A project application for Kyoto Energy Park has been submitted to the NSW Department of Planning by Pamada Pty Limited.

The first part in a two-stage application is for up to 47 wind turbines across two sites at Middlebrook Station and Mountain Station. The second application will be for the balance of devices for the park and look to be submitted in the very near future, according to pamada director, Mark Sydney.

"This project started well over 10 years ago and it will be another three or four years before things really get underway," he told the Hunter Valley News.

The proposed eco-generating infrastructure may also include solar panel generators, a solar thermal array, a mini closed loop hydro-electric facility, energy park visitor and education centre, manager's residence, upgrade of local electricity networks and ancillary equipment, tanks facilities and roads.

Mr Sydney said the hydro-electric facility would use on site-water capturing and recycling techniques as Pamada was conscious of the water shortages being experienced in the region. "We hope it will give Scone an opportunity to identify itself as a green energy centre," he said.

Scone was identified as one of 11 sites in NSW by the NSW Sustainable Energy and Development Authority in 1995 as being suitable for the generation of electricity from wind. Pamada waited two years to submit the project application after stumbling across a hurdle within the Upper Hunter Shire Council's Local Environmental Plan.

An amendment to the LEP late last year saw Pamada lodge the application with the NSW Department of Planning as the beginning of an expected long process.

"We're in the very early stages at the moment but we believe it is the right thing for Scone and we want the community to understand we wish to work with their desires and energies," Mr Sydney said. "We take community participation very seriously and we feel its important to the region to supplement and support a vibrant energy industry."