Energy transition
Waddi Wind Farm
Generation innovation for Australia’s west
RPS is supporting Tilt Renewables to progress an innovative renewable energy initiative featuring wind generation technology near Dandaragan in Western Australia.
As Australia transitions towards more renewable energy generation, detailed environmental studies, strategies and plans are required to protect important flora, fauna and ecological communities and secure development approvals. RPS environmental specialists supported Tilt Renewables to investigate, understand and proactively manage potential impacts as it progressed the Waddi Wind Farm project in the Wheatbelt region, around 150km north of Perth.
Throughout the project’s development phase, several scope changes were made, including:
- a reduction in the number of wind turbines from 57 to 18;
- an increase in the maximum tip height of the wind turbines to improve generation capacity;
- an increase in the ground clearance of the lowest turbine tip from 18m to 44m to minimise likelihood of impacting a significant avifauna species; and
- relocating an access track to avoid impacting a significant flora species.
Revisions to the alignment of transmission infrastructure meant that power lines would traverse a conservation park managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
Environmental solutions for wind generation success
Our team completed a series of baseline ecological assessments to inform where new infrastructure would be placed, minimise impacts to local and significant flora, fauna and ecological communities, and comply with the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Act 1986 and conditions of Shire of Dandaragan’s development consent. A reconnaissance flora and vegetation survey, targeted significant flora surveys, a black cockatoo habitat assessment and Carnaby’s cockatoo and fork-tailed swift utilisation surveys were undertaken by our specialists for the wind farm and overhead transmission line alignment.
Informed by the findings and our team’s advice, Tilt Renewables has been able to minimise the clearing of native vegetation and avoid impacts to significant flora species and vegetation within the DBCA-managed Conservation Park. A project-wide clearing permit application was prepared by our team, which included a DBCA-approved Hygiene Protocol to allow the wind farm to be constructed and connected to the nearby Cataby substation, while preventing pathogens and weed species being introduced to the Conservation Park.
In a major milestone for the project, Tilt Renewables received Commonwealth environmental approval for the Waddi Wind Farm, marking a key step toward final investment and construction. RPS will continue to support the project.
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Ideas for a faster energy transition
Across RPS, our consultants are supporting energy clients to navigate complexity and propel projects forward through improvement across all phases of the project lifecycle. Discover our insights on how project owners can accelerate across five key aspects of energy project delivery:
