The Plains Wind Farm

Engie Plains Windfarm has supported our organisation and the community of Hay.
As a small RURAL isolated town, This Grant has given members of the community The opportunity to gain training in suicide prevention. this is an issue in our town which affects every member of the community, directly or indirectly. This education will give community members practical life skills and knowledge. Thank you to Engie for the support of the Hay community and the CASE organisation. The CASE organisation is a voluntary group and does not get any Government funding and thanks to the Engie support we are able to continue our community education, for which we are greatful.

Totally object !
We have the most beautiful country in the world these ugly windfarms are destroying our beautiful country, wildlife and their habitat.
They are not an environmentally or economically effective resource.
We also have the most efficient farmers in the world and the rural communities are being destroyed by these ugly projects.

i object to the Plains Wind Farm construction.
This ugly monstrosity will be visible for many km in every direction.
It is not environmentally friendly, components are not locally produced or recyclable and it isn't even a reliable energy resource.
Destruction of native wildlife and their habitat.

I have no association with the proponent or its consultants. I am familiar with the site selection and planning assessment processes for renewable energy projects across a number of States including NSW. The site is located in extensive grazing land. The proposal will have minimal impact at a regional level on agricultural land and productivity. The biodiversity assessment is thorough and credible, and set off no alarm bells. Projects like this are vital for Australia’s mitigation of climate risk while supporting energy security as the coal-fired power station fleet retires. There is no impact on landscape qualities of note in a narrow visual sense. I cannot comment on indigenous cultural values, but that aside this project demonstrates considerable planning merit and is non-contentious given that securing clean energy resources is a national priority.

Besides the well documented impact on local wildlife, the practical aspects of this project is fraught with impracticalities
The area is know for extensive wind droughts
The fire risk of malfunction turbines is immense
The risk to the extensive ariel agriculture is immense
The storage of expired turbine blades has not bee advised as these cannot be reused or recycled- there are here forever
The return on capital invested is abysmal maybe even none existent
What happens to the thousands of litres of turbine oil that has to be changed every 3 months? the smaller turbines have an oil capacity of 1100 litres
The end of l ife of the very short production period of about 20 years with two changes of turbine blades, has not been addressed as to who cleans up the mess - the land owner? the local council at ratepayer expense? the developer who has on sold this disaster to others

There are a number vulnerable and threatened species by this major Wind development includes:
1. The Black Falcon – Falco subniger
2. Redthroat – Pyrrholaemus brunneus
3. Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
4. Yellow bellied Sheath – Saccolaimus flaviventris
5. White-fronted Chat – Epthianura albifrons
6. Southern Myotis – Myotis Macropus
7. Southern Whiteface – Aphelocephala leucopsis
and many other vulnerable and threatened species.

I object to this submission
There are a number vulnerable and threatened species by this major Wind development includes:
1. The Black Falcon – Falco subniger
2. Redthroat – Pyrrholaemus brunneus
3. Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
4. Yellow bellied Sheath – Saccolaimus flaviventris
5. White-fronted Chat – Epthianura albifrons
6. Southern Myotis – Myotis Macropus
7. Southern Whiteface – Aphelocephala leucopsis
and many other vulnerable and threatened species.

I strongly object to this project which is nothing more than environmental vandalism due to impacts to vulnerable and threatened species by this major Wind development includes:
The Black Falcon – Falco subniger
Redthroat – Pyrrholaemus brunneus
Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
Yellow bellied Sheath – Saccolaimus flaviventris
White-fronted Chat – Epthianura albifrons
Southern Myotis – Myotis Macropus
Southern Whiteface – Aphelocephala leucopsis

I object to this major 450mw BESS proposal going ahead due to the impacted vulnerable and threatened species by this major Solar BESS development includes:
Koala – Endangered
Masked Owl - Breeding
Pink tailed Legless Lizard - V
Australian Bustard BC Act – Endangered
Curlew Sandpiper – CE
White Bellied Sea Eagle – V
Litte Eagle (Breeding) – V
Swift Parrot – E
Southern Bell Frog – (BC Act Endangered)
Major Mitchels Cockatoo – Breeding – V
Plains wanderer (Breeding) – Critically Endangered
A spear-grass - Austrostipa wakoolica - V
Claypan Daisy – Brachyscome muelleroides – V
Mossgiel Daisy – Brachyscome – V
A burr -daisy – Calotis morrei – E
Bindweed – Convolvulus (BC Act E)
The Black Falcon – Falco subniger
Redthroat – Pyrrholaemus brunneus
Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
Yellow bellied Sheath – Saccolaimus flaviventris
White-fronted Chat – Epthianura albifrons
Southern Myotis – Myotis Macropus
Southern Whiteface – Aphelocephala leucopsis

I object to this project. Is it directly threatening the plans wander, a flightless bird.
Agricultural land should be kept for food production not industrialised with uncontrollable unreliable intermittent energy generation

I oppose this Project and all other WIND FACTORIES IN Australia with a pathetic Energy Factor of 25-30 % efficiency.
It will have no positive effect on saving the planet and environment and will have zero effect on the climate that DOES NOT NEED SAVING.
NET ZERO IS A CORRUPT LIE

The wide open farming plains of Hay may not appear to be habitat for very much biodiversity, but they are home to a plethoria of protected fauna that have co-existed with farming for generations, a few of which are as follows: The Black Falcon (threateded), Koala (endandered), Australoian Bustard (vulnerable), Little Eagle (vulnerable), Pink Tailed Lizard (vulnerable), and numerous other species.
Not only are the plains habitat to much biodiversity, they provide a reliable supply of quality food to Australia's population, and should not be sacrificed to unreliable wind and solar factories.
There is also contamination issues to be considered. Please see attached:

There are two general objections to net zero proposals to build more RE facilities.

1. The ABC of intermittent energy explains that the transition to wind and solar power is impossible with current storage technology.
See attached and also https://www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes

2. A resolution at the last UN COP conference stated that the pursuit of net zero should not be done at the expense of productive agricultural land for food production.

Submission attached

Wind projects are simply not going to solve any issues of replacing proven, 24/7 reliable, cheap and environmentally friendly conventional power. They are unreliable, expensive (very expensive if you include the costs of transmission and backing up by conventional power), environmentally destructive and intrusive on landholders properties and remnant bush and iconic animals.
What you are doing is not 'saving the planet' you are, in effect 'destroying the planet'.

Wind farms reduce the available soil moisture downwind/. They can create increased fire risk for the whole neighbourhood.

The wind plains factory must not go ahead. The environment distraction from manufacturing the components to construction then decommission far out weights any savings that are alleged by the supporters of this type of energy production. How can you base our energy production such and an reliable fuel source, the weather.

There are many flora and fauna including vulnerable species threatened by this major Wind development including:
Black Falcon – Falco subniger
Redthroat – Pyrrholaemus brunneus
Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
Yellow bellied Sheath – Saccolaimus flaviventris
White-fronted Chat – Epthianura albifrons
Southern Myotis – Myotis Macropus
Southern Whiteface – Aphelocephala leucopsis
and many other vulnerable and threatened species.
Wind developers have a very poor record in conducting true and faithful report
This is being proposed in an agricultural area, agriculture must be preserved in an ever increasing need for food and fibre.


.

Submission that The Plains Wind Farm should be declared a controlled action.
Those projects supporting Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) claim that “The intermittent nature of wind and solar resources creates the need for ‘back-up’ capacity to support any supply gaps”.
This statement alone clearly sets out. That by their intermittent and unreliable nature of electricity production, (because of an unreliable supply of ‘weather’ fuel) solar farms and wind farms. Should never be considered as an economic or dependable electricity generator for supplying baseload electricity to a modern electricity grid. To add a BESS to the mix, does not produce one MWh of power and only increases the price to the end user. High prices do as much damage to economies as shortages of supply.
Wind Turbines are powered by a weather fuel the Wind. At 12am on any day, there is no certainty that the fuel tank will have any fuel available as the weather may be calm. Because they can only produce electricity, when the wind speed is between 12kms/hr and 90kms/hr. The industry reports that Wind Turbines only produce electricity on average for only 35% of their rated capacity or on average for eight hours per day. Wind Turbines can be becalmed for days at a time, producing no electricity. Likewise, if a gale blows for several days no electricity is produced. https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy/wind/pros-cons-wind-energy/
I believe it would be highly irresponsible to grant a planning permit or allow construction of The Plains Wind Farm, as rather than being able to make a positive contribution to the Grid, its inclusion would be totally negative and uneconomic.
Further points of objection.
1. Consisting of so much compact electrification, The Plains Wind Farm will create an extreme fire hazard to surrounding areas, particularly on a Total Fire Ban Day with the temperature at 43dC and a NW wind blowing at 50km/hr. With wind turbines on 250m towers, a fire in a turbine could not be fought from the ground and water bombers have to stay at least 4 or 5 kilometres from wind turbines, and so are useless in fighting fires in a wind factory. The surrounding land owners should be very concerned about their welfare.

2. If a fire was to occur the risk of soil contamination, would be very great. With unknown consequences.


3. If it should be approved to be built, then it should be mandated that The Plains Wind Farm should have a Public Liability policy to cover fire and other possible damage to surrounding areas of at least $500million to $1billion.

4. Unless The Plains Wind Farm puts up a restoration bond, there will be nothing stopping them from walking away and leaving the local Council and community with a very expensive noxious, Junkheap, that will desecrate the whole area.
For the above reasons I strongly believe The Plains Wind Farm should be declared a controlled action

Renewables are not renewable and have failed everywhere in the world. Solar works less than 10 hours a day and Wind is unknown . Solar panels and Wind turbines last less than 25 years and cannot be recycled. Wind and Solar are supplying less that 10% of electricity at 6.30 pm at night. Electricity will be unaffordable