October 23, 2012
Australia

Windfarm contracts ‘shrouded in secrecy’

Lyndal Reading | October 23, 2012 | Weekly Times Now | www.weeklytimesnow.com.au

The debate around wind farms is being stifled by confidentiality clauses, anti-windfarm campaigners say.
An contract for the Lexton Windfarm, seen by Weekly Times Now, says the landowner who hosts the turbines must not disclose to any third party the terms of the lease, any information learned during negotiations or any information regarding works on the land.

Likewise the windfarm company must not release terms of the lease, any information learned during negotiation or any information concerning works on the owners land.

Anti-windfarm campaigner Will Elsworth said the confidentiality clauses meant the process of negotiation with farmers was “shrouded in secrecy.”

“They don’t want people talking about it,” Mr Elsworth said.

Mr Elsworth said the windfarm companies had previously denied these clauses existed.

However, Clean Energy Council Policy Director Russell Marsh said in some cases the wind farm companies entered
confidentiality agreements with farmers wishing to host wind turbines on their properties.

“These are similar to arrangements that exist in many other industries,” Mr Marsh said.

“They generally cover commercial details, including the amount paid for hosting the turbines and other infrastructure associated with a wind farm.”

Mr Marsh said nothing in the agreements would stop a turbine host from making public comments or complaints about other issues relating to wind farms.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/23/windfarm-contracts-shrouded-in-secrecy/