Richmond Valley Solar Farm

I refer you my attached submission.

I object to the project because of the scale of this development.
There are proposals to have a total of three solar plants virtually connected to each other within a radius of 5 to 10klm
This is simply too big.
I object because this development will completely change the visual and social amenity of our peaceful quiet part of the world.
I object because this development is being imposed upon us with very little regard to our proximity to the project. The possible effects on our health and wellbeing are unknown and concerning.
The loss of nesting trees with holes, 27 for this project is concerning. There is no mention of any remediation for this loss of habitat to many birds and bats ect.
The 30-meter-wide Wildlife Corridor on only one boundary, proports to address most issues raised in relation to wildlife and many other environmental issues according to the EIS. I find this to be totally fanciful.
I am concerned about the increased costs associated with Public Liability Insurance that will be necessary for neighbors as a result of this development.
I am also concerned that our property value will be negatively impacted by this development and there is no consideration given for that.
While we have been consulted throughout the development process, I feel that our concerns are being glossed over as NIMBY.
The dramatic visual changes to our environment this development will bring are totally at odds with our rural setting.
I also have concerns about the Community Benefits Fund how and where this money will be spent. We that live here, and view and experience the effects of the development feel that we will probably not see a $ of that money spent in our area.

I have no confidence in the project,the people directly affected by it are not taken seriously with their concerns. Environmental,social, the hazards and risks, like bushfire and flooding. Everything is downsized and not taken serious enough. The mental and physical wellbeing of nearby residents are not considered enough. Also the future impacts of the project are not known .

The Northern Rivers region has a very high uptake of rooftop solar and consequently low feed-in tariffs which are likely to be further reduced by a large project given preferential treatment. Might rooftop solar suppliers even be charged for mid-day input?
This region is often blanketed by cloud, sometimes for a week or more, in which case battery storage of 2.2GWh will be insufficient to maintain supply. Reliance on yet more weather-dependent sources will only further destabilize the grid and increase the risk of load-shedding or managing demand instead of supply, putting businesses, industries and medical facilities at risk.
Across the globe, the more so-called renewables added to an electricity grid , the more expensive and unreliable the electricity supply becomes.
The carbon footprint of this project with a 20-year lifespan is massive and its emissions reduction and likely climate impact so small that it does not justify the destruction of over 20ha of forest and 800ha of good agricultural land. Conservationists would condemn this if they understood climate science.
The climate change that such planet-destroying projects purport to avert is not all bad news: https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2023/december/december-2023-correspondence

This will be a great asset moving towards a renewable future.

I object to this wind farm for many reasons, including, it ruins the natural landscape, having large white metallic objects in the sky ruins the natural beauty of the area. It effects bird migration, increases risks of bush fires, which is a problem considering how rural the area is and how slow the response to a fire would be. They would be inefficient considering the small amount of wind the area gets and therefore would be a waste of money. They are also not good for the environment since in the process of breaking down they devalue the land by polluting the soil and damaging the wildlife around.

I fully support the development of the proposed Richmond Valley Solar Farm and BESS. This project is a great example of a proponent who effectively engaged with relevant stakeholders to identify opportunities to collaborate and develop positive outcomes for the local area and the environment. The addition of a biodiversity corridor is a wonderful addition which will provide added connectivity between the surrounding state forests. Ark Energy's commitment to not only meet the requirements for an asset protection zone but to go beyond it is another great example of listening to the concerns of the community and responding in an appropriate and effective way. The race to net zero by 2050 is on and it is renewable energy projects like this that are putting us on the right track.