MEDIA RELEASE 28TH MARCH 2019
Generous benefit sharing programs announced this week by two new Victorian wind farms show that community demands are being answered, community advocacy group, the Australian Wind Alliance said.
Two new wind farm projects were announced this week - the Delburn Wind Farm, a 300 megawatt project near the Hazelwood coal mine, and the 700 MW Hexham Wind Farm, 15 km from Mortlake. Both projects share financial benefits with neighbours and surrounding community through structured cash payments, community funds and investment opportunities.
The Delburn Wind Farm plans to distribute over $3 million per annum into the local area across the landowner, three separate Councils, neighbours and the wider community.
Hexham Wind Farm plans to pay neighbours $1000 per year (indexed with CPI) for each turbine constructed within three kilometres of their dwelling and $100 for each additional turbine that is constructed between three and six kilometres of the dwelling.
“Sharing financial benefits equitably is crucial for community acceptance,” Australian Wind Alliance National Coordinator, Andrew Bray said.
“Wide ranging programs like these ones mean that payments are not just going to landholders hosting the turbines, but also to neighbours and surrounding communities.
“Hosting wind farms builds the financial resilience of rural towns.
“The Australian Wind Alliance has been arguing for these measures for many years so we’re delighted to see benefit sharing becoming the norm in new wind farm projects.
“Benefit sharing goes a long way to addressing the disparity between those do well out of projects and those who miss out. In the past, understandably, this caused a lot of angst and we’re glad to see industry responding positively to remove this problem.”
“The new wind farms appearing throughout Victoria actively fight climate change and move us away from polluting sources of power but they need to deliver for host communities as well.
For interviews, contact Australian Wind Alliance National Coordinator Andrew Bray - 0434 769 463
Click here for more information about the Hexham Wind Farm and Delburn Wind Farm benefit sharing programmes.