Transmission plan final engagement report is out
VICGRID, the authority charged with preparing Victoria for the roll out of renewable energy facilities, including wind and solar farms, as well as the transmission lines to connect the new network has just released the Draft Victorian Transmission Plan (VTP) Guidelines final engagement report – ‘What we heard’.
The report is an update to the Draft VTP Guidelines Interim Engagement Report that was released on September 30 and contains many insights into what the community really thinks about the draft proposals.
The report released on Thursday, December 19 summarises and analyses:
* All feedback about the renewable energy zone study area, received during a 10-week consultation period from 22 July to 30 September 2024
* Feedback about the draft Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines, received during a 5-week consultation period from 22 July to 25 August 2024.
It explains how feedback helped shape and finalise the 2024 Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines. It also outlines how feedback will be used in the process to identify draft proposed renewable energy zones as VicGrid develops the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan.
The report is available on the Engage Victoria website at https://engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan or click HERE.
Gippslanders have punched above their weight in responding to the draft plan.
And it appears that the South Gippsland Shire Council’s housing density map has hit its mark with VicGrid acknowledging the shire’s feedback about “the region’s limited locations for wind projects due to rural dwelling density and buffer zone requirements”.
VicGrid received the second highest number of feedback form responses from Gippsland and the most-attended initial community sessions, driven in part by community interest and awareness of the transition and in part by local news articles.
Here is what VicGrid said in part about ‘what we heard’ from Gippsland:
“Gippsland feedback prioritised biodiversity and the natural environment followed by agriculture and land use. Feedback reflected strong regional pride in the natural beauty of the area, the rich farming tradition and the status as a tourism destination.
“Some feedback focused on the ongoing stress of the energy transition, reflecting experiences in this region with the impending retirement of local coal-fired power stations, offshore wind development and significant existing and proposed local renewable projects.
“Many concerns were raised about the habitat of the giant Gippsland earthworm around Loch and several mentions of Wilsons Promontory. Community members and the council noted that South Gippsland has a high density of dwellings, making development of turbines with the necessary set-back distances from dwellings challenging.
“There was also community sentiment that wind turbine exclusion zones on the Mornington Peninsula were unfair. At the drop-in sessions there was a mix of support for and opposition to developing REZs in South Gippsland.
“Some attendees welcomed the opportunity for economic development and the energy security that this could bring. Others raised concerns about impacts on agriculture and land use, biodiversity and the Bunurong people’s gathering places in the area.
“Feedback also focused on the engagement process, with participants not aware of engagement opportunities, not able to provide feedback via accessible channels and concerned about the tight timeline. Several community members at drop-in sessions thought the consultation was about where wind turbines would be located in Gippsland, rather than about planning REZs.
“The RDA Gippsland Committee supported renewable energy development but emphasised a partnered, place-based approach to avoid impacting regional economic significance and high-value agricultural land. They recommended VicGrid increase local engagement resources and simplify communication materials. The committee also suggested considering the Latrobe Valley for future renewable infrastructure, aligning with the Gippsland Regional Plan 2020-2025.
South Gippsland Council
“The South Gippsland Shire Council supported renewable energy but stressed the need to limit impacts on agriculture and tourism. They highlighted the region’s limited locations for wind projects due to rural dwelling density and buffer zone requirements.
“The council advocated for investment at Barry Beach Marine Terminal and Port Anthony, emphasising the need for genuine community engagement and government support to attract commercial investment.
Bass Coast Council
“The Bass Coast Shire Council supported a clean energy future with its net zero emissions target by 2030. They emphasised the need for inclusive community engagement and coordination, ensuring all stakeholders, First Peoples and residents were involved in the planning process. The council called for guidelines to protect native vegetation, wildlife and farmland, and addressed concerns about the visual and noise impacts of energy infrastructure, suggesting strategies such as undergrounding lines where possible to minimise disruptions.”
VicGrid released the draft VTP Guidelines on July 22, 2024. The guidelines describe how VicGrid will produce the 2025 VTP. It also includes a renewable energy zone (REZ) study area map, showing the parts of Victoria that VicGrid will investigate further as it works to identify potential future REZs. The guidelines will be updated over time and used for future VTPs.
The release of the draft VTP Guidelines and study area map commenced a formal 5-week community and industry engagement consultation period for the guidelines (from 22 July to 25 August 2024) and a 10- week consultation period for the study area (from 22 July to 30 September 2024). An interim engagement report was released on 30 September 2024, addressing feedback on the draft VTP Guidelines and preliminary feedback on the study area received during the first 5 weeks of consultation. This final report provides an update to the interim engagement report, and contains more detailed information about the study area, including regional insights reflecting the place-based engagement that has taken place over the 10-week consultation period.
In other excerpts from the final engagement report:
* Gippsland: Another important region for dairy production, Gippsland requires reliable water sources and fertile soils. Renewable energy infrastructure could potentially impact soil health and restrict the use of farm machinery
* The VFF also criticised the RIT-T process for failing to consider the costs of transmission infrastructure to farm businesses and agricultural production. They argued that the draft VTP Guidelines methodology repeated these failures, particularly in the cost[1]benefit analysis process, which they said was vague and didn’t consider market and non-market impacts
* Dairy Australia, the Australian national body for the dairy industry, was concerned that the weightings used in the strategic land use assessment did not sufficiently consider the importance of agriculture. They called for meaningful consultation with Victorian agricultural industries to ensure planning and development of REZs and transmission corridors would take into account the extensive use of agricultural land. Dairy Australia called for clear guidance on the implications of being located within tier 1 and tier 2 areas, as well as modelling the impact of planning changes on rural land use and highlighting regional effects. Dairy Australia also noted that frequent updates to the VTP might undermine investor confidence. They said the draft guidelines failed to address agricultural industries individually, thereby neglecting cumulative impacts. They also said the definition of ‘least cost’ in energy market modelling for the VTP was narrowly focused, potentially ignoring broader costs to land users. Dairy Australia was concerned that the declaration of REZs in key agricultural areas could exacerbate land use competition and increase land prices. They noted that community engagement in the VTP development process was critical but appeared unclear and limited in scope.