May 10, 2018
Australia

Twin Creek Wind Farm debate continues

May 10, 2018 | Anita Butcher | flowfm.com.au

A wind farm proposed for the Lower Mid North of South Australia, around 12km North of Kapunda, continues to be the topic of discussion for local residents and developers, Renewable Energy Systems (RES), alike.

The Twin Creek Wind Farm, which is located within three local government areas Flow FM broadcasts to (Light Regional, Goyder and Mid Murray Councils) was recently released on category 2 of public notification, which closed in mid-April.

According to RES, the site is: “approximately 5,600ha of farm land used predominately for sheep grazing and cereal cropping. The project will have minimal impact to the farming and use less than 2% of the total land area. The site has excellent exposure to South Australia’s abundant wind resources, making it an ideal location for a renewable energy project.”

However, not everyone agrees the proposed Wind Farm site is an “ideal location”, with a number of local residents voicing their concerns in the past.

The Barossa Herald has previously covered the story, and their latest article can be viewed here for more information: www.barossaherald.com.au.

Flow FM had its attention brought to the story when local resident Nick Bury contacted the station.

Interviews were then undertaken with both Nick and RES Twin Creek Project Manager Dan Leahy as part of a special investigation to find out the latest information on the Wind Farm, first proposed in 2014.

Project Manager Dan told Flow FM what the Twin Creek proposal involves.

Local resident Nick also described the proposal and situation from his perspective, raising some concerns about what the Wind Farm could mean for the region.

Nick explained he was speaking on behalf of a “collection” of people from the local area and introduced the issue of the pygmy blue tongue – an endangered lizard that was previously thought to be extinct, but has since been rediscovered near the proposed Wind Farm site.

Dan responded to concerns about the lizard, as well as addressing what kind of impact the Wind Farm could have on the wider Barossa region.

Proximity of the Wind Farm to the Barossa Valley is an issue Nick raised within the interview, describing his thoughts to Flow listeners.

Dan addressed this concern later in his interview, talking about the issue of frost and what it could mean for the region, as well as what would happen in times of an emergency if a bushfire was to go through the Wind Farm area.

He also spoke to Nick’s concerns of how the Wind Farm could impact the region and locals within it, discussing issues of noise and vibration, electromagnetic interference and soil erosion.

When speaking with Flow FM, Nick made it clear he is not against wind farms or wind energy, and gave his views on where the Twin Creek proposal would be better located.

He also accepted there could be possible benefits to the wider area if the Wind Farm was to go ahead, and reiterated his concerns, arguing that further research still needs to be done.

Dan finished his interview with a message for local residents, asking them to contact him directly if they have any issues they wish to discuss.

You can find Dan’s contact details on the Twin Creek Wind Farm website.

Flow FM will continue to keep the community up to date with the Wind Farm proposal and looks forward to hearing your local stories from your local region.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/05/10/twin-creek-wind-farm-debate-continues/