ESTABLISHING Renewable Energy Zones, which are the areas in the state that not only have abundant renewable energy resources, such as wind and sun, but are also appropriate for development from a land use and environmental perspective, is a crucial step in the State Government’s rollout of renewable energy.

So, when the organisation charged with the job of co-ordinating the planning and development of these Renewable Energy Zones (REZs), VicGrid, delays the consultation process supposed to help identify these REZs by up to two months, when the time for energy generation transition is already incredibly tight, you’ve got to doubt the importance being placed on consultation.

With so much at stake, you’ve got to wonder if the process of identifying the best locations for turbines, solar panels and high-voltage lines isn’t continuing at-a-pace behind the scenes while only the public consultation is being delayed.

According to the latest information on the government’s Engage Vic Website ‘Developing the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan’:

“The study area map is the first step in a process we are starting to work through now We will narrow down the initial study area to much smaller areas as we work to define future renewable energy zones.

“A comprehensive final engagement report including detailed summaries of the study area feedback, and how it will help shape the process to identify draft proposed renewable energy zones, will be published by 31 October 2024.”

However, the ‘final engagement report’ was not out by October 31. It will not be out until December.

Here is a statement from the spokesperson for VicGrid in response to a question from the Sentinel-Times:

“On 22 July we released the draft Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines explaining how we will develop the plan, seeking community and industry feedback.

“The guidelines included a renewable energy zone study area map, showing parts of Victoria we are investigating further as we work to identify potential future renewable energy zones.

“VicGrid carried out extensive public consultation on the study area from 22 July to 30 September 2024. We received more than 930 study area feedback responses, more than 380 guiding principles feedback forms and more than 170 submissions.

“We thank everyone who gave their time and contributed to the consultation process. The number of responses and granularity of local information exceeded expectations. This means we require more time to carefully review the feedback and analyse the information received to make sure we get this right, minimise impacts, and maximise benefits for landholders, communities, and the environment.

“The comprehensive final engagement report including detailed summaries of the study area feedback, and how it will help shape the process to identify draft proposed renewable energy zones, will now be published in December.”

According to the 2024 Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines, all considerations will be taken into account when selecting the best locations for the turbines, solar panels, batteries and transmission lines needed to replace electricity generation by coal, if that’s even possible without planning for gas-powered generation and (shock horror) nuclear as back-up running alongside.

But with so much at stake including attracting renewable energy investors and the future cost of power for business and householders, it’s going to be “best-practice energy market modelling” and least-cost outcomes that are going to have the biggest say on where this infrastructure will be located, not food and fibre production, heritage, and livelihoods, or even ecosystems and biodiversity.

The Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines describes how the best REZ sites will be selected:

“The VTP will ensure we build the right amount of energy infrastructure in the right places at the right time. And ensure we are not building more than Victoria needs – so we can maximise the benefits of the transition to renewables, while minimising the impacts to communities and minimising costs to energy users.

“The strategic land use assessment is a new process to support electricity system planning in Victoria. It recognises important values many Victorians place on our land and landscape, covering culture and heritage, livelihoods, ecosystems and biodiversity, food and fibre, recreation, strategic minerals and many others. Impacts on these need to be minimised, alongside energy system considerations like keeping the cost of energy low and attracting renewable energy investment to locations where it is most productive.”

How will VicGrid narrow down the study area to REZs?

“As part of developing the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan, we will narrow down the study area to identify smaller areas for further investigation. We will use industry-standard, best-practice energy market modelling and a multi-criteria analysis to help identify these more granular areas. Energy market modelling will be used to identify the most suitable locations to host generation within the study area from an economic or ‘least cost’ point of view. A multi-criteria analysis will consider this least-cost outcome, alongside other important factors relating to land use, community feedback, regional development, and developer and generator interest to identify smaller areas for further investigation.

“The study area map is the first step in a process we are starting to work through now.

“We will narrow down the initial study area to much smaller areas as we work to define future renewable energy zones.”

The Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines and an interim engagement report, summarising what VicGrid heard and how they say it shaped the guidelines, are both available on the Engage Victoria website HERE