Second wind for Robbins Island renewables plan as parrot problem dismissed

The proposal by renewable energy company ACEN to build a 100-turbine wind farm on the Bass Strait island has been languishing in the planning stages after several setbacks involving the Circular Head Council and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), and vocal opposition by residents and conservation groups.

The wind farm was first proposed a decade ago and ACEN has been at the helm for six years.

On Monday, November 27, the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal's resource and planning division handed down a 100-page decision into various appeals lodged by all the parties involved.

The tribunal dismissed the appeals by parties opposing the construction of the windfarm and upheld two appeals by ACEN, one of which quarreled with orders by the EPA that it shutdown all turbines for five months of the year during the migration of the orange-bellied parrot (OBP).

The Bob Brown Foundation described the decision as "fawning", and said the project's impact would be "profound and destructive".

"This is part of humanity's deliberate destruction of the natural world which sustains all life," Bob Brown said.

The company has previously said the five-month shutdown would render its proposal unviable economically, and the tribunal's decision reflected that concern.

"The condition has the same effect as a refusal in the sense that the proposal will not proceed if it is required to shut down for five months per year," the tribunal decision read.

The decision referenced to evidence from bird expert Brett Lane, who said the risk to OBPs from collisions with turbines was "very low".

"He considered that [the shutdown condition] was out of proportion to the risk to the species from the proposal, but that turbine shutdown at known sensitive locations and times should remain part of any mitigation strategy."

ACEN's second successful appeal related to the permit granted by the council, which set limitations about the number of wind turbines and their height.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff welcomed the tribunal's decision and said his government had a responsibility to protect threatened species and support renewable energy projects.

"Our government understands the need for greater renewable supply, and we cannot allow single-minded agendas to override the best interests of all Tasmanians."

He also called on the federal government to help Tasmania "strike the right balance".

The tribunal's decision was also welcomed by Labor energy spokesperson Dean Winter and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The tribunal directed the parties to make further submissions relating to the conditions of a permit by December 7.