Draft solar farm guidelines have been criticised as inadequate

Shepparton Independent MP Suzanna Sheed said the draft design and development guidelines didn’t address concerns about the cumulative adverse effect on agricultural production in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District.

“Future permit applications would benefit from further guidance on where they should be located in Victoria,” Ms Sheed said.

“The draft Solar Energy Facilities - Design and Development Guidelines document is a sorely inadequate response to this need.”

Read more: 

The planning panel considering the four solar facilities proposed for the City of Greater Shepparton concluded that the overall permit decision process would have been clearer and further expedited if there was additional and more detailed strategic guidance.

Ms Sheed said the draft guidelines appeared designed primarily to assist project proponents to navigate the current assessment and development process as if the City of Greater Shepparton panel was satisfied with the current planning framework.

“It was not satisfied,” Ms Sheed said. “It said approval authorities need further guidance.”

As a result, the guidelines document fell far short of the detailed policy and planning framework required to guide authorities, when they assessed applications or granted approvals.

“This framework should have been developed and in place before the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning issued draft design and development guidelines for proponents," she said.

The guidelines should be fully developed before the approval of more large solar energy facilities in northern Victoria.

She said DELWP claimed the draft guidelines were informed by a review of guidelines and best practice standards interstate and internationally.

“Yet the document does not propose any changes in Victorian planning provisions to ensure best practice is reflected in State and local government planning schemes,” she said.

The Victorian Farmers Federation and Goulburn Valley dairy producer Natalie Akers called for a moratorium on new developments until the guidelines were in place.

In its submission, the VFF said the draft guidelines were a good start but didn’t go far enough.

“We don’t want to see any more solar farms proposed, or given permits, until the guidelines are in place as to clear directions as to how these solar farms are placed across the state,” VFF president David Jochinke said.

Unlike every other industry, there were no clear planning and building regulations for large scale solar infrastructure developments, he said.

“This has created uncertainty and disputes, as large developments spanning hundreds of hectares are rolled out without appropriate planning regulations or guidelines,” Mr Jochinke said.

“These draft guidelines are a good start but are not sufficient to ensure agricultural land is protected.

“We need a state-wide, strategic plan for all renewable energy facilities that considers how these sites will impact high-value agricultural land, community infrastructure and services, and the flow-on effects to neighbouring properties.”

He said there had been recent examples of farmers and communities feeling threatened by applications for solar energy industrial facilities, for which the value to the community was unclear and where facilities would significantly impact the landscape.

“Our members are also concerned by potential unintended consequences for properties of neighbouring solar facilities, which we believe requires further scientific investigation,” Mr Jochinke said.

“The market is maturing, but the regulations haven’t kept up.

“We have said all along we want to be able to understand the intent of not only the government in placing renewables in the best possible location, but also protecting farmland as well.”

He said there might need to be infrastructure upgrades.

“We want to make sure infrastructure is placed in the most appropriate location – just because you have a power line going past doesn’t indicate the site is suitable.”

But he said the main thing farmers wanted was formal guidelines.

“Ultimately, we want to give farmers some rules of engagement, so they understand what government and industry are planning. At the moment, we don’t have that.”

The VFF recognised there was also a huge opportunity for greater adoption of renewable energy on-farm technology.

“This includes solar panels on sheds, which do not interfere with existing production and allow farmers to decrease their input costs," Mr Jochinke said.

Tallygaroopna dairy farmer Natalie Akers, who also put in a submission, called for a moratorium on solar development until the guidelines were finalised.

"The guidelines lack detail on setbacks, screening, noise glint, proximity to dwellings," Ms Akers said.

"They state they need to be at an acceptable level - but this phrase is very subjective.

“The guidelines need to be much more explicit".

She questioned how many rows of trees and shrubs were required and at what height and what was the distance of the setbacks.

"The guidelines dismiss the heat island impact on orchards, but this is based on research in the Arizona desert,” she said.

“The government's scientists in northern Victoria are saying heat is a potential problem for orchards, bringing insects, and further research is required".

A State government spokeswoman said submissions had now closed.

"The government is now considering feedback from industry and the community," she said.

"Planned release for revised guidelines is in June, with approved final guidelines expected late 2019."