FAQS
WIND
How long does it take to build a wind farm?
What technology does Neoen use to build its wind farms?
What is the life cycle of a wind farm?
How do wind turbines work?
How tall are the wind turbines?
How do you stop the wind turbines from impacting our landscape?
Overall, we consider that the immediate and long-term benefits which wind farms bring to communities offset any loss of visual amenity.
What is the life cycle of a project like Hornsdale Wind Farm ?
What happens when the project ends?
This is a commitment we make to the landholders and the State government, which is in the development approval and our contract with the host landholders.
After the assets are removed, most of the materials are reclaimed or recycled.
Economy
Do renewable projects benefit the Australian and local economy?
- Direct employment of up to 48 construction workers, with each worker spending approximately $25,000 in the local area in shops, restaurants, hotels and other services (a total of up to $1.2 million)
- Indirect employment during the construction phase of approximately 160 people locally, 504 state jobs and 795 nationwide jobs
How much do renewables cost compared to other energy sources?
Wind and solar generation produce energy at less than $50 per megawatt hour (depending on the quality of the renewable resource and the size of the project).
The costs of other sources of generation are:
- Gas generation: >$90 per megawatt hour
- Existing coal generation: approximately $40 per megawatt hour
- New coal generation: approximately $130 per megawatt hour
Does Neoen require government subsidies to build its projects?
We sometimes enter commercial agreements with governments or businesses to sell the power our projects produce.
Who pays for any road upgrades required?
Who pays for any electrical transmission upgrades required?
Who assesses the projects?
Do wind farms decrease property values?
This is particularly so for primary production rather than lifestyle properties.
What happens when the project ends?
This is a commitment we make to the landholders and the State government, which is in the development approval and our contract with the host landholders.
After the assets are removed, most of the materials are reclaimed or recycled.
Health & Culture
Are there any health risks associated with wind farms?
Some 17 reviews of research literature conducted by leading health and research organisations from all over the world, including the World Health Organisation, Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Centre, the UK Health Protection Agency and the US National Research Council, have concluded there is no published evidence to positively link wind turbines with adverse health effects.
Can wind turbines’ noise affect local residents?
Noise levels are then tested after operation starts to ensure compliance. If these limits are exceeded, turbine operators must shut down or de-rate turbines to achieve compliance.
The EPA limits are designed to ensure that noise from a wind farm is not intrusive for the average person.
The baseline limit for noise audible outside a dwelling in Primary Production-zoned land is 40db(A). This is comparable to a quiet conversation in another room of a house.
Is the project reducing air quality?
Visual observation of machinery is undertaken during site inspections in addition to daily pre-start checks which ensure all machinery has appropriate emission control devices, is in good working order and is maintained correctly.
Is cultural heritage taken into consideration?
We also have strong Aboriginal workforce participation targets, and strive to foster a deep, cooperative relationship with Aboriginal stakeholders across South Australia.
Environment
Do wind farms impact on flora and fauna?
On all of our projects, we aim to minimise the impact on flora and fauna by designing projects to be constructed outside areas of high conservation significance and adopting control measures during the construction process.
During the detailed design, wind turbines will be micro-sited to minimise the potential impact on fauna habitat with turbine heights selected to minimize the overlap between rotor swept area and bird flight heights.
Other mitigation measures include preparing management plans, identifying ‘no-go zones’ within the project site and conducting pre-clearance surveys.
We also consult with government departments of environment and biodiversity throughout the development, construction and operational stages of projects, as well as local non-government organisations.
Do wind turbines affect farm or domestic animals?
Stock, including sheep and cattle, take a couple of days to get used to wind turbines, then are very comfortable with them. They rub up against turbines and use the shade from the towers during summer.
There are also some indications that in dry areas, condensation and run-off from the panels may support a higher growth rate of feed along the panel rows.
We also own and operate the Coleambally, Griffith, and Parkes solar farms on multiple properties in NSW, as well as Numurkah in Victoria. Sheep are grazing on many of our solar farms and we have conducted a successful sheep grazing trial at Parkes Solar Farm.
Do wind farms harm birds?
Studies show that wind farms are probably responsible for impacting birds at rates that are:
- 400 times fewer than cars
- 500 times fewer than pesticides
- 1200 times fewer than high-tension wires