Applications for the third round of pre-development grants have now closed. Thank you to all the community groups across the region who applied. We received funding requests for over $270,000, making the assessment panel’s choice very challenging. A total of $15,000 has been allocated for funding this year. We’re currently reviewing all the submissions – so stay tuned for our next update when we announce the successful recipients!
Once construction starts, the Delburn Wind Farm will allocate around $150,000 ($750 per MW installed) annually for community development grants. We look forward to being able to make a greater contribution to community projects surrounding the wind farm once construction starts.
Project Update
We are often asked when construction of the wind farm will start. The Victorian Planning Minister approved the Delburn Wind Farm planning permit applications in March this year. The Strzelecki Community Alliance has challenged the Minister’s decision in the Supreme Court, naming both the Victorian Planning Minister and Delburn Wind Farm as defendants. The case is listed to be heard in court in February 2023. The planning permits remain valid unless the Supreme Court determines otherwise.
In the meantime, we continue to work on addressing the approval conditions before calling for tenders for the head construction contractor next year. Subject to the outcome of the court case, we are working towards construction starting in mid-late 2023 and will keep you informed as the Delburn Wind Farm progresses.
Supporting our Future Energy Needs
In the last few months, there’s been a lot of media coverage and government announcements around energy. This raises many questions about how energy will be produced and supplied, what consumers will pay and how the government’s; target of net zero emissions by 2050 will be met.
The Federal and Victorian Governments are encouraging offshore wind development along the Gippsland coast in the acknowledgement there are not currently enough onshore wind generation opportunities to meet our future energy needs within the timeframes set out in government policy.
Onshore wind and solar energy currently offer the cheapest form of new energy generation and will continue to be developed to meet the broader objectives of delivering a reliable power system.
Other technologies will form part of the future energy mix including offshore wind, pumped hydro and batteries. This mix of clean electricity generation technologies will deliver bulk energy needs now and into the future to meet the renewable energy targets set by both the State and Federal
governments.
The Delburn Wind Farm will generate 640,000 MWh of renewable energy each year. This will be enough energy to power 135,000 homes or equivalent to powering around 80% of Gippsland homes.
With construction ready to commence in mid to late 2023, the Delburn Wind Farm could be supplying renewable power back into the electricity grid by early 2025. By hiring locally and using local businesses to supply as much as possible, we will ensure the benefits are felt right throughout the community. The Delburn Wind Farm will lead the way in supporting the Latrobe Valley to transition towards a cleaner energy future.
