Frequently Asked Questions
On this page we have tried to answer most of the questions which we have received about wind farms and this specific project.
Q: Will you install more turbines on this site later on?
A: No. Development Approval has been granted only for three turbines on the locations proposed in our application. More importantly, the 22 kV power line that runs nearby is not capable of accepting additional power beyond the output of three turbines, and it will not be economically viable to upgrade the line.
Q: Will three turbines really provide any worthwhile reduction in greenhouse emissions?
A: People who install PV solar panels on their houses see a reduction in their power bills because they import less power from the grid to meet their household needs. In the LaTrobe Valley, this appears as lower demand which requires less power to be generated. When operating at capacity, each wind turbine generates as much power as 2000 x 1 kw rooftop systems. Over a year the wind farm will offset generation equivalent to the needs of 3,400 households.
Q: Will there be new power lines installed on the land?
A: No. All cables will be buried underground between the turbines and down to the point of connection to the existing power line.
Q: How close will the turbines be to houses?
A: Mapping has shown that apart from the landowner's house, there are no occupied dwellings within two kilometres of the wind farm, and only eight within three kilometres of the wind farm.
Q: Surely the noise will be heard all over the local area?
A: With only three turbines and generous setbacks, it is extremely unlikely that residents in the area will be able to hear the turbines. Furthermore, the proposed machines will be amongst the newest and quietest available from a leading European supplier, and will operate at well below the maximum sound levels allowed in the Victorian Planning Scheme.
Q: Will there be flashing red lights on each turbine?
A: It has been confirmed that the wind farm will not require night lighting.
Q: Will the land become unuseable once the turbines are installed?
A: Each turbine sits on a concrete foundation which is buried under a layer of topsoil. There will be a gravel track up to and between the turbines. There will be no other impact on the land. Existing farming will continue and it will not be sub-divided for housing.
Q: Will the community be able to own a share in this wind farm like the one in Hepburn?
A: We plan to enable the local community to invest in the Chepstowe Wind Farm, and earn dividends from the sale of the power. You can register your interest on this website by registering your interest here.
Q: Why is wind energy a good thing?
A: After hydroelectricity, wind energy is currently the most financially viable form of renewable energy. It occupies less land area per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated than any other energy conversion system and is compatible with grazing and crops.
Q: Doesn’t it use more energy to make a wind turbine than it generates?
A: No. The energy used in the construction of a wind turbine is generated in just 6 months of operation, yet its operational lifetime is 25 years. Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution produced by its construction are very tiny and declining.
Q: Wind turbines have a reputation of being noisy and a threat to birds and bats?
A: Modern wind turbines are very quiet and rotate so slowly (in terms of revolutions per minute) that they are rarely a hazard to birds. Furthermore, in order to obtain Development Approval it is necessary to provide expert consultant reports confirming that noise from the wind farm and hazards to flora and fauna are within permitted limits.
Q: How much energy will the wind farm generate?
A: At least 20,000 MWh per annum, which roughly equals the power consumption of 4,000 households.
Q: Will the wind farm reduce greenhouse emissions?
A: Yes. Each megawatt hour of electricity produced by the wind farm will avoid the production of 1 tonne or more of greenhouse emissions. In total, the reduction in emissions as a result of the wind farm will equate to removing at least 5,000 cars from the road.
To learn more about the benefits of wind power, check out some of our Useful Stuff or visit one of the following websites: