Baw Baw Shire Council continues to raise concerns about proposed Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) projects across the Shire.
Councillor Tricia Jones raised a General Business item at Wednesday's Council Meeting, requesting Officers write to the State Government and battery proponents to request they work with Council to identify sites other than those on prime agricultural real estate and that Council be given greater transparency as to the number, size and location of these installations.
Cr Jones noted in the meeting that the development BESS infrastructure in the Baw Baw Shire would see a duplication of assets that already exist in Latrobe City in precincts already designated for electricity supply.
Cr Jones is also seeking Officers to write to other impacted municipalities requesting their support for joint advocacy to the Municipal Association of Victoria and to the State Government.
Wednesday's Council Meeting item comes after Baw Baw Shire Councillors joined the community recently to hear from Samsung C&T Renewable Energy Australia (SREA) and ZEBRE about the proposed BESS projects in the Shire.
Concerns were raised by Council and the community as potentially hundreds of hectares of prime agricultural land stands to be converted to battery storage sites.
Cr Kate Wilson, Mayor of Baw Baw Shire, has also written to Commissioner Tony Maher at the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commission, urging strengthened oversight related to proposed BESS projects across the region.
"Baw Baw Shire Council supports Victoria's renewable energy ambitions, but this transition must be underpinned by a transparent, consistent, and community-centred approach," said Cr Wilson.
"We ask that future policy settings and project approvals give due consideration to agricultural land impacts, community safety, and environmental protections, ensuring that host communities share meaningfully in the benefits of Victoria's clean energy future."
Cr Wilson also queries how this use of critical farming land is in keeping with the Government's Plan Victoria document that said it would 'prioritise food security and the agricultural sector by protecting our agricultural land' as part of its commitment to sustainable agricultural practices?
"While Baw Baw Shire Council strongly endorses the need for renewable energy and recognises the critical role Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) will play in stabilising the grid, we remain concerned about the current approach to their siting and approval."
There are currently two proposals for BESS projects in Baw Baw Shire being assessed by the Victorian Government - one in Shady Creek and another at Yarragon North. Neither of these locations sit within the Victorian Government's proposed Gippsland Renewable Energy Zone. There are also more already in the pipeline including one proposed for Longwarry, and another BESS project eyeing off a site in Trafalgar East.
According to current planning structures, permit applications for renewable energy proposals with significant economic benefit can bypass local Council planning frameworks and be made directly to the Minister for Planning, effectively removing local voices from the process.
