Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group has put its community energy park project on hold indefinitely after receiving confirmation from the state government that regulatory barriers can’t be overcome in the next term.
The vital step to enable the project to move forward was for the government to amend the Plantations Act to allow for non-forestry uses, such as an energy park, on the forestry land at Woodend for which the park is planned.
“It’s hard to fathom the reason behind the government’s reluctance to address this seemingly minor regulatory hurdle,” said Dr David Gormley-O’Brien, MRSG president.
“The project had secured a financed development partner, a planning amendment to allow a planning permit, technical feasibility, and the potential to power all homes in the Macedon Ranges Shire.
“Community initiated renewable energy is central to government policy and the project is on government-owned land.
“There are already many non-forestry uses on Plantations Act land around Victoria, such as mountain bike tracks and adventure parks, so why not amend the Act to allow those uses to legally operate and allow community projects like ours to proceed?”
Dr Gormley-O’Brien said a similar situation occurred in Queensland but the state government did the legislative changes required to enable that energy park to proceed.
“We’ve had a test mast there for the last eight to 10 years in partnership with HVP (Hancock Victorian Plantations) and the data shows that it’s optimally placed for maximum wind generation and also very close to transmission to the grid,” he said.
“Because the fundamental features of the wind, solar and battery project make good economic and environmental sense, there is a chance that a government may support the community energy park in the distant future.”
A Victorian Government spokesperson said DELWP strongly supported community energy initiatives and had worked closely with MRSG to try to progress the project.
“DELWP commissioned independent advice on this project, which demonstrated lengthy and complex legal processes and a range of potentially conflicting interests in relation to use of the plantation land,” the spokesperson said.
“In 2020-2021 we funded $59,400 towards Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group as part of our Neighbourhood Battery Initiative to undertake a feasibility study for community battery, this work was submitted for consideration last month.”
Dr Gormley-O’Brien said that for now, MRSG’s Renewable Energy Action Group would be busy exploring other projects and meant to attain its goal of the electricity grid in the Macedon Ranges moving away from its dependency on fossil fuels and being entirely powered by clean, affordable and reliable renewable energy.
