Wind Energy

The Victorian Government is committed to growing the renewable energy sector, recognising that renewable energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a sustainable supply of energy.

Victoria has world-class wind resources and the technology to harvest energy from wind is well-proven and is being widely used around the world to provide reliable supplies of energy.

Victoria has approximately 432MW of operating wind power generation. View the list of operational and approved wind energy projects in Victoria. Wind energy has the potential to provide a significant proportion of Victoria's growth in renewable energy generation over the next ten years.

The Victorian Wind Atlas provides detailed information about the States wind resource in individual local government areas. It contains data and analysis about the wind resource in Victoria, proximity to electricity transmission systems. To order the Wind Atlas, email info@sustainability.vic.gov.au.

Research shows that the production of electricity from wind results in less burning of fossil fuels. Each megawatt hour of wind energy generated in Victoria currently avoids the generation, on average, of one tonne of greenhouse gas emissions. A typical two megawatt wind turbine in Victoria will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 6,000 tonnes per year.

An increase in wind energy developments will also offer significant economic and employment growth, particularly in regional areas.

Despite the benefits, wind farms can have local amenity impacts that have raised concerns among those in surrounding communities. Those who oppose the development of wind farms contend that wind turbines can adversely impact the health of individuals living in close proximity.

However, a recent study released by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has found that there is no published scientific evidence to support adverse effects of wind turbines on health. For more information and to download a copy of the NHMRC report visit www.nhmrc.gov.au

The Victorian Government has produced the policy and planning guidelines for the development of wind energy facilities in Victoria to ensure that future planning to expand Victoria's wind resource considers the environmental, economic and social impacts. The Guidelines provide a clear decision making framework to ensure that proposals for wind energy facilities are thoroughly assessed against criteria important to both proponents and the community before development can commence.

Visit Sustainability Victoria to download a copy of the guidelines. 

You can find more information on current planning schemes and initiatives in Victoria by visiting www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning.

Wind Energy Reports

Sustainability Victoria has now posted on its website the following reports and they can be accessed by visiting:

Renewable Electricity Generation 2010

SKM-MMA Greenhouse Gas Abatement from Wind and Solar and its peer review by Hugh Outhred.