Jindera Solar Farm

As a resident of the Greater Hume Shire I am writing to object to the proposed Jindera Solar Farm SSD-9549.

While I am not opposed to solar or renewable energy, I am concerned that not enough independent research has been done on solar complexes of this size and nature in the Australian Climate in such close proximity to homes, families, livestock and food production. I am concerned that not enough thought has gone into the full lifecycle of these types of projects. In 25 years when the panels have reached the end of their life where are they to be recycled? And if the foreign companies cannot get government incentives to renew the panels where will we get our power from?

My husband and I live and farm within the Greater Hume Shire and we know the productivity of our land and that of many farmers within the region. At a time when most of NSW is drought declared (including our area) we have produced food, fibre and fodder off our natural rainfall (which has been significantly reduced this year). Grain and Fodder that has been produced in our area will be used to support farmers in areas less fortunate. We know how blessed we are to be farming here and it’s clear that the reason this region has weathered everything that mother nature has thrown at it is due to the capacity and capability of our land.

The question must be asked, why are we using viable productive agricultural land for something that can be placed on roof tops, over dams and lakes, over irrigation channels and in arid non-productive areas? I feel that that is something that should not be ignored for the sake of a climate target and/or foreign profit.

The money we and many farmers in our region make off our land goes back into our local community. If this project goes ahead the financial impact will be felt by stock agents, grain traders, machinery dealers, rural suppliers, car dealers, Ag and Vet Services and local businesses. The money the Solar Company makes will predominantly go offshore. The solar company suggest that there will be financial benefits to our community if this goes ahead. I disagree and feel that there “may” be short term financial benefits, but they will not extend beyond the construction period and as such in the long term will cost the community more than they are worth.

I feel that this type of facility within the shire will detract from the rural aspect and as such will put downward pressure of land values and home values particularly those with views of this project. I see this as a negative when land values and housing prices have steadily risen over the last few years despite falling property and housing markets in other regions.

The Greater Hume Shire is being targeted by 4 companies at this time. It has pitted resident against resident. Friendships that are decades old have been torn apart. Businesses have been boycotted. And for what? The landholder who has leased their land and the solar company will do well out of this, but the losses will be felt by many.

Given that there has been a large number of these types of power plants approved over the past few years throughout Australia. I would suggest that now is the time to stop placing them willynilly and start investing in the necessary infrastructure to get them out of rural residential area’s and away from productive land.
Thank you for your time.

The area of the proposed Solar is Prime Agriculture land that in a drought has been able to produce food and fodder.
I believe in renewable energy but strongly believe their are more suitable locations not on productive land, better suited on the roof top of every building structure. While we are custodians of the environment and need to protect it for the future, we are also custodians of the land and we need to protect this for the future of food and fodder for the population, Solar plants have been around for some time, yet no one has evidence to show us as farmers that this will not damage the land or that of the surrounding properties.
This area has extreme hot and cold weather and being undulating country it has high fog through the colder seasons, the only reason these foreign companies are here is because of a power line, not because they want to save the environment or care for the community or the social impacts and divides they have placed on neighbors and friends in this process. This gives them easier access to the grid and while possibly not the best for energy production they still gain the energy credits to sell
If there where no impacts that will affect the agricultural and surrounding lands then why not provide this evidence, this is not the desert or Barron land it is dry acre farm land that produces good yields with natural rain fall.
Why not be honest with the community and tell them the truth and back it up with some substantial data, why pay ridiculous amounts of money to lease the land, unless there is a catch??
We need to protect our food and fibre industry especially when this region is still producing and a large portion of NSW has been unable to do so because of extreme drought.
These are industrial projects not farming projects and no one has been able to demonstrate that they are compatible to farming in this region and the conditions we produce under and until this can be demonstrated Industrial projects like these should be placed in areas where it will not have such a financial, social and production impact on the broader community.
The close proximity to homes and residence will possibly reduced value on these homes. This is not about statistics but a simple question to yourself would a majority of the population buy a house next door to an industrial plant??? I don't believe it can be proven either way but I believe it would deter people from looking in the first place potentially reducing buyers.
Lack of evidence of long term benefit to the community and any short term financial gain would possibly benefit Albury/Wodonga and not the Greater Hume Shire community because of the close proximity and housing availability.
I strongly believe these belong in areas out west of vast flat country that does not produce food and fiber for the population

Name taken from pdf file in DOC19/996807