Over 80 Oppose Solar Project, No One Attends Meeting
The Independent Planning Commission (IPC) in New South Wales has scrapped a scheduled public meeting aimed at discussing the future of the Burroway solar project after no participants registered to speak, despite receiving over 80 written submissions.
On Friday, the IPC announced that the public meeting at Rawsonville Soldiers Memorial Hall, set for next Thursday (February 12), was cancelled because there were no speaker registrations. However, the commission noted that written submissions will remain open until the following week (February 17).
Burroway Solar Project Overview
The Burroway solar project, proposed by Edify Energy and featuring a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW), is among several renewable and energy storage initiatives in NSW that have been forwarded to the IPC. This project has drawn objections, primarily from individuals residing far from the site, many of whom are located in other states.
Situated near Narromine, the Burroway project has faced approximately 81 objections. Notably, no objections came from within a 5-kilometre radius, but there were 18 from interstate residents, alongside five from special interest groups, including the Queensland-based activist organisation, Rainforest Reserves.
Concerns Raised in Submissions
Many written submissions raised issues regarding the reliability of renewable energy sources and the potential loss of agricultural land. Rainforest Reserves warned that the project might lead to “substantial, irreversible harm to the Dubbo region.”
In response to the feedback from state agencies and local councils, Edify has made adjustments to its traffic management plans and has committed to establishing temporary accommodation for an estimated 250 construction workers involved in the project.
Similar Public Meeting Trends
In a recent public meeting concerning a battery storage project near Deniliquin, only two attendees turned up, either to speak or to listen. While no local objections were raised regarding this project, numerous long-distance objectors appeared, with many expressing confusion about the project’s location and technology.
Despite the objections, the IPC approved the Deniliquin battery project, which is to be built on land previously used as a gravel pit, adjacent to an existing substation and overhead transmission lines.
The Role of IPC in Project Reviews
The IPC is mandated to review all projects that receive more than 50 objections. In contrast, some projects garner extensive local feedback, as seen with the proposed Kingswood battery near Armidale, which recently secured a long-term underwriting agreement for extended storage from the state.
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