REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOYDER
RENEWABLES ENERGY PROJECTS UPDATE REPORT
31 October 2023
1 NEOEN – GOYDER RENEWABLES ZONE
Stage 1,2 & 3 – South of Burra & north of Robertstown near World’s End & Bright. Neoen are the Developers, Owners & Operators of the project & have now commenced Goyder South Stage 1A & 1B for the construction of approximately 75 wind turbines in the hills between Burra & Robertstown and Koonoona Road. Goyder South Stage 1 has received development approval for total of 1200 MW of wind generation, 600 MW of solar generation and 900 MW of battery storage capacity making it the state’s largest renewable project.
There are 2 companies who are Consortium Partners with Neoen & are overseeing the project:
GE Renewable Energy who will be supplying & installing the wind turbines & commissioning the windfarm control system.
Green Light who will be: 1) designing & supplying all wind farm civil infrastructure (foundations, roads & buildings) 2) design & supply all wind farm civil electrical infrastructure (33kv cables, earthing, communications, wind farm control system) & 3) Design, supply & commission HV substation and overhead power line. Green Light is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elecnor and who are specialists in the integrated management of infrastructure projects.
A site office has been constructed on Springbank Road between Burra & Robertstown. In December 2022, Neoen announced that it had signed 70MW renewable energy baseload contract with BHP to supply power to its Olympic Dam operations from July 2025. The various works undertaken at present include: Civil earth works on the wind tower pads & access roads, cable trenching, local road upgrades & civil works, construction of the 275kV overhead transmission towers for the power sub-station work, delivery of transformers to the substation & construction of the wind turbine foundation bases. The wind turbines have commenced to be delivered from Port Adelaide to site and will continue to September 2025. Construction of the Goyder South wind farm is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
Additional information is available on the Goyder Energy News website at the following link: https://goyderenergy.com.au/
The various works undertaken at present include: Civil earth works on the wind tower pads & access roads, cable trenching, local road upgrades & civil works & construction of overhead transmission towers for the power sub-station work. Components of the wind towers have started arriving at Port Adelaide & will be stored there until ready for construction.
Greenlight & GE Renewable Energy & other contractors have rented approximately 60 properties as well using other motel, hotel, caravan park & Paxton Square cottage accommodation in the Burra, Farrell Flat & Clare areas for their management staff. The civil contractor, Lucas, has set up a camp for its workers at Hanson just south of Burra as well as using caravans purchased & located in the Burra Caravan Park as accommodation for its workers.
It is estimated that approximately 250 workers are working on the project and are being accommodated in the wider Goyder and Clare regions.
2 ELECTRANET PROJECT ENERGY CONNECT – INTERCONNECTOR
Robertstown which commenced in early 2023. There are 384 transmission towers between the SA border & Robertstown & these are spaced every 600 metres. The foundation pads for each tower are 30 metres by 30 metres. Construction of the foundation pads & towers & stringing of the transmission wires is nearing completion in the Morgan to Robertstown section.
Consolidated Power Projects and Enerven have employed approximately 50 workers on the power substation work at Robertstown & Bundey commencing in October 2022. So far, they have used approximately 8 properties for accommodation in the Robertstown, Eudunda & surrounding areas as well as other motel & caravan park accommodation in Eudunda, Morgan, Taylorville & Kapunda.
3 EPS ENEGY/AMP ENERGY – ROBERTSTOWN SOLAR
Near Robertstown Power Substation, 5kms north-east of Robertstown.
EPS Energy announced on 4 May 2021 the selection of Amp Energy as the successful development partner to progress the EPS Solar & Energy Storage facility at Robertstown.
The following information was provided by Dean Cooper, Head of the Asia Pacific region of Amp Energy:
Amp Power Australia Pty Ltd, the Australian operation arm of Amp Energy, has submitted the formal application for connection to ElectraNet, which is under review. The project has executed a Heritage Agreement with the Ngadjuri, the traditional owners of the land near Robertstown. An EPBC (Environment) self-assessment has been compiled followed by meetings with the SA division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. The project’s commencement date is subject to the completion of Project Energy Connect (Interconnector).
4 SOLAR RIVER PROJECT
Near Florieton between Burra & Morgan.
The project includes a 200MW photovoltaic array comprising 630000 solar panels and a 200MW battery at a capital cost of $480 million. The project is estimated to require 250 workers over the construction period of 2 years. Zen Energy have been announced as a development partner & have appointed GCo Solar (a subsidiary of the Sterling & Western Group) as the Engineering Procurement & Construction manager. Due to the size & location of the project, they will be setting up a worker camp at a location to be decided commencing in early 2024. In the preparation stages they will be using other local accommodation & local contractors.
5 AUSTRALIA PLAINS SOLAR FARM – GREEN GOLD ENERGY
Approx 16 kms north-east of Eudunda.
Green Gold Energy plan to build a 150MW solar farm with 300 jobs created. A Development Application has been lodged & granted with Crown Sponsorship & the State Government review is in progress. The project size has been rescaled and finalised to include a 200MW BESS (Battery Energy Storage System). Connection approval to the grid is expected to be given by the end of 2023 with an Engineering Procurement Construction manager to be appointed in early 2024 and with construction planned to commence at the end of 2024.
They are also planning a 100MW solar farm on the Goyder Highway near Morgan and are awaiting final Development Application approval for that project as well.
6 TWIN CREEK WIND FARM – RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS (RES)
Between Eudunda and Kapunda.
The original project has been revised to take advantage of the substantial evolution in wind turbine technology and RES has optimized the Project layout and will soon be resubmitting a development application for the Twin Creek Wind Farm.
The optimised project is expected to involve the construction and operation of up to 42 wind turbine generators with a generation capacity of up to 7.2 MW (nominal) and a total name-plate capacity of up to 270MW. This will see a significant uplift in its capacity for clean energy generation whilst reducing the number of turbines to be installed. Information about the Project is available on their recently updated website https://www.twincreek-windfarm.com/ (right click & Open Hyperlink)
Community drop-in sessions were held at Eudunda, Kapunda & Truro in late September 2023.
7 WHYTE YARCOWIE WIND FARM
Wind Prospect is undertaking feasibility studies for the development of a wind farm near Whyte Yarcowie with up to 85 wind turbines. The proposed site is around 3 km east of the Whyte Yarcowie township, 8.5 km north of Hallett and 6 km south of Terowie.
Their latest report as as follows:
The Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm has been progressing steadily throughout 2023, with wind data from two 130 metre wind monitoring masts installed in late 2022 providing key information needed to develop the project design.
Data from the new masts, and topographical mapping from an aerial survey earlier this year, has allowed us to prepare our baseline project design from which our environmental specialists will conduct their impact assessments. These assessments are ongoing and will include ecology, heritage, noise, surface water, visual impact, electromagnetic interference, traffic, aviation, fire risk management and more.
These assessments will inform the further development of the project design and will support the preparation of project approval documents expected to be lodged in 2024.
Earlier this year, Wind Prospect announced EDF-Renewables Australia (EDF-R) as a supporting partner in the development of the Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm. EDF-R has an interest in the project and is supporting Wind Prospect to progress it to the next stages of development. The project aligns with EDF-R’s global strategy of accelerating the transition to a carbon-neutral economy and should EDF-R acquire the Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm, it would be a significant addition to the renewable energy capacity of their Australian portfolio.
Wind Prospect will be hosting community information sessions in November where we will share our baseline project design which is to be assessed by our environmental specialists. We will also present our community benefits sharing program with the community for consultation.
These sessions will be held:
Wednesday 29 November, 12-3pm at Hallett Hall
Wednesday 29 November, 4.30-7.30pm at Whyte Yarcowie Public Hall
Thursday 30 November, 10.30am-1.30pm at Whyte Yarcowie Public Hall
Thursday 30 November, 3pm-6pm at Terowie Institute Supper Room
Finally, our sponsorship program is open, so anyone with ideas for community events, projects and activities that could use financial support, please get in touch via the project website https://whyteyarcowiewindfarm.com.au/.
If the proposed Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm is constructed, a range of benefit sharing programs will be implemented that will operate for the lifetime of the project. A Community Sponsorship Fund has been established during this early stage of project development and applications are now welcome. The fund will provide $10,000 per year to assist community groups and organisations.
Community input, feedback and views on the proposed Whyte Yarcowie Wind Farm are important and can lead to improvements to the project design. If you would like more information or to provide feedback, please visit their website www.whyteyarcowiewindfarm.com.au or contact via 1800 595 197 or email info@whyteyarcowiewindfarm.com.au.
8 SA WATER – MORGAN WHYALLA PIPELINE RENEWAL
SA Water announced on 10 January 2022, that they are planning to replace sections of the Morgan Whyalla pipeline. The pipeline is a 358 kilometre long, above ground pipeline that was constructed in the 1940’s for the transfer of bulk water supplies to the Iron Triangle cities of Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla and supply to the Mid North, Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula water distribution networks.
SA Water, together with contractors, McConnell Dowell Diona Joint Venture are planning to replace up to 34 kilometres of the pipeline and most of this replacement will be occurring on the section between Morgan and Burra. The sections being replaced will be constructed adjacent to the existing pipeline and will remain above ground.
The commencement of the project has been delayed due to additional environmental consultation requirements & the project will need to be resourced with management staff & workers again.
9 OTHER NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS
Other Renewable Energy projects that are planning to commence in the Goyder region are: Risen Energy – Geranium Plains Solar & Storage Farm (near Robertstown) & Solarig Australia – solar & green hydrogen farm (location not yet advised) & Neoen Blyth BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) project.
LOCAL ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS
The Regional Council of Goyder councilors & staff, the Burra Community Association, Eudunda Community Business & Tourism Committee (ECBAT), the Robertstown & District Community & Management Committee & the Mid-Murray Council are ensuring that the maximum possible impact & interaction is gained from these projects in the local communities from Burra to Eudunda & Morgan by connecting the contractors of each project to the local labour force, accommodation & food providers & other businesses. This is being done as a community service project with Mel Zerner, a former local Eudunda resident, voluntarily assisting Goyder Council & the other community groups in this initiative.
Mel is in regular contact with the key owners or employees of all the above projects to obtain status reports and then respond to their local requirements as required.
If you have any questions on the status of the any of the above projects or local requirements or want to include your accommodation, labour or local business services on the registers, please contact Mel on Mobile 0418 852 353.