The Smart Energy Council today welcomes the decision by the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon. Murray Watt MP, to approve a wind farm at Robbins Island.

Chief Executive John Grimes says the Minister faces a difficult task in balancing the urgent need for renewable energy with the protection of nature.

“We recognise that the Minister has a tough job in balancing the need for renewable energy with the need to protect nature. We need both things to work together, but we also know that as a country we must reach our target of 82% renewable energy.

“If we don’t work hard to get there, the result will be destructive climate change, which is already having devastating outcomes for nature and threatened species.”

The Council acknowledged that the Minister has placed conditions on the approval, including that a Bird and Bat Management Plan and an adaptive management framework, with triggers for curtailment or shutdown. This is a sensible way to achieve the right balance.

“We want nature preserved and renewable energy projects to proceed, the two can and must be our central priorities,” Mr Grimes said.

“There is existing and emerging technology that are enabling wind farms to co-exist with threatened species, such as IdentiFlight which uses AI-informed cameras to prevent bird strikes from turbines.

“We trust that the adaptive management plan will pick technologies like this up.”

Media contact: Tim Lamacraft – tim@smartenergy.org.au – 0448 972 192