Energy firm airs its Yass wind farm plan

Canberra Times
Thursday 9/10/2008 Page: 2

A Sydney-based renewable energy company is looking into building a wind farm near Yass. Epuron will study the wind potential of different sites to determine turbine numbers, their arrangement and location before presenting a concept plan to the community. Areas under investigation for the new wind farm include parts of Black Range, the Coppabella Hills and Carrolls Ridge.

Project director Simon Davey said Yass was well placed to benefit from investment in renewable energy. "With careful consideration and planning, projects like this can be developed in the Yass region with positive benefits to the environment, the local economy and the community," Mr Davey said.

"It will provide the capacity for the Yass region to establish ongoing, longterm, sustainable jobs through the service, construction and related manufacturing industries." Investigations in the area will include measurements of wind speed, noise propagation, visual impact studies, flora and fauna studies and assessment of heritage values.

Epuron plans to feed the electricity produced from the wind farm into the national electricity grid, to be consumed within the national electricity market. Mr Davey said the company had already received planning approval to build three wind farms, including one at Conroys Gap near Yass.

Yass mayor Nic Carmody said he believed the wind farm would have an environmental benefit, but he did not think it would provide "a direct benefit to the people of the Yass Valley". "We all need to be doing our bit for green energy," Mr Carmody said. "I think they should certainly be exploring it and see if it's worthwhile proceeding with it. "I know in the case of the previous [wind farm at Conroys Gap], there were a lot of people who were affected who live nearby. They do have concerns and valid concerns."