Renewable energy projects divide farming communities

In short: Community division is widespread in rural Australia over the roll-out of renewable energy projects. Neighbours and lifelong friends are in conflict over proposed developments.

What's next?  Energy policy is shaping up as a key election issue.

Bitter neighbourly feuds, information voids and a so-called "hit list" naming farmers who have signed up to have wind turbines built on their farms.

This is the turn of events unfolding in once harmonious farming communities in rural Victoria at the forefront of the renewable energy transition.   

Jim "Spud" Hepworth has been farming in Victoria's Wimmera region all his life. 

He has watched on as some farmers sign up for wind turbines on their land, and others remain vehemently opposed.   

Mr Hepworth said it was "heartbreaking" to see community cohesion eroded. 

"Over my time living in this area as a farmer, and I'm 85 years old, your neighbour has always been someone you would talk to and confide in," he said.  

"It's not the way of country people."  

Meanwhile, Country Fire Authority firefighters say they will refuse to fight fires on land where wind turbines are built.

Battle lines drawn

The renewables push has long divided communities across Australia where development has been earmarked. 

The scale of renewable energy development across the country is growing as Australia pursues a national plan for 82 per cent of the nation's power to come from renewable sources by 2030, up from about 40 per cent now. 

Across Victoria, there are 39 wind power facilities operating, eight approved or under construction, seven still in the planning stages, and others remain in the development phase.  

At the same time, debate continues to rage over plans for the 500 kilovolt VNI West transmission powerline that is set to run through western Victoria.  

Craig Henderson is one of the few farmers that will happily espouse the benefits of hosting turbines. 

The western Victorian grain grower is set to host a number of turbines planned by WestWind Energy on his farm in the Wimmera. 

"Small towns in the Mallee are dying," he said.

"If we can come up with something that will support those small towns, an alternative income into these areas, I feel that is really important.

"As long as people are fairly compensated, it's for the betterment of the whole state."   

Mr Henderson will receive payments of close to $40,000 per turbine, per year, with WestWind Energy to contribute $2,000 per turbine, per year, to a community fund.  

But by agreeing to host wind turbines, Mr Henderson said he had made himself a target.  

He said he had been told he was "number one on a so-called hit list" and could expect to get "hassled" by others in the community.

"This sort of stuff is not on; if you've got a question, talk to us."

'Huge division'

Another Wimmera farmer, Ross Johns, is president of the newly formed Wimmera Mallee Environmental and Agricultural Protection Association.  

He said the renewables push across regional areas had created "huge division" and angst among those who had or hadn't accepted turbines on their land. 

Mr Johns accused WestWind Energy of acting in bad faith when it allegedly approached him in 2018 and offered a cash bonus to sign a contract. 

"A very fast-talking, city-based salesman came up and said, 'Here's the contract, all your neighbours have signed it, all the community is in favour of it, just sign it,'" he said. 

Mr Johns said the conversation hit a speed bump when he mentioned running the contract by his lawyers.   

"Right at the end of the conversation he put $1,000 cash on the table and said, 'I'll give you $1,000 cash for signing the contract', so if I was nervous before, as soon as he did that, I was extremely nervous." 

Banner protesting wind farm proposals

Banners expressing opposition to wind turbines on farmland are common in western Victoria. (ABC Rural: Angus Verley)

In a written response to questions from the ABC, WestWind Energy's chief development officer Marla Braeur rejected the accusation.

"The claim of offering cash payments to pressure landholders into agreements is not accurate,"  she said.
"We prioritise transparency in all negotiations, ensuring landholders have access to comprehensive information to make independent, well-informed decisions.

A history of conflict

The push for greater renewable energy has always been divisive. 

Rebecca Colvin, a social scientist from Australian National University, has witnessed it first-hand as part of her research into the impact renewable energy projects can have on communities. 

"In almost every setting you will have the full spectrum of views [and] when there is any form of conflict, it does have quite an impact on social cohesion of a community," Dr Colvin said.

She said good communication and transparent consultation with communities was critical.

But ultimately, she said, no amount of consultation would change the minds of some.

"There will be people that will have the view that under no conditions will this project be acceptable to them and consultation is unlikely to change that."

Just this week, Transmission Company Victoria, which is behind the VNI West transmission line, was granted a transmission licence, meaning it no longer needs landowner permission to enter private property.

Dr Colvin said in these cases, the likelihood of conflict was greater, and the need for respectful communication with landowners became even more important. 

"Even when a government or any agent has legal rights to access someone's property, it doesn't mean those expectations about consultation and respect are thrown to the side," she said. 

"This is where, effectively, it's creating a power balance and can be even more important for actors … [to be] acting with good communication, with respect, acting like good guests when they are on someone else's property." 

Transmission Company Victoria VNI West project executive Claire Cass said TCV would "continue to work closely with landholders and the community to finalise the project design with the least impact to people, farming and the environment". 

Mixed messages 

Advocacy groups dispute the level of support for renewable energy developments in regional areas.

Last year, Farmers for Climate Action, which advocates for action to reduce the impact of climate change on farming,  commissioned a poll that found 70 per cent of 1,001 respondents living in areas affected by renewable projects were supportive of them.

Then this month, Farms for Food, a group formed in direct response to community division over renewables projects, released its own survey with contrary results.

The survey, promoted through the group's social media platform, found 92 per cent of 1,846 respondents opposed renewables on farmland. 

'Tokenistic' compensation

Belinda Randall lives in Birchip, a Mallee town in the heart of a "tier one" priority area earmarked for renewable development by the state government.   

She believes in the need for an energy transition, but said the community needed to be fairly compensated for its part. 

"Is this about protecting the environment, protecting the planet, transitioning from coal?" she said.

"Or is it just an opportunity for investment; for someone, somewhere to make a lot of money?

"It's very tokenistic, what's on offer for the community."

National Farmers Federation president David Jochinke, who has turbines on his farm in the region, said communities felt talked "at" rather than "to".  

"A lot of the angst has happened in areas where a sod hasn't even been turned yet, which is a pretty big indictment on the process to date," he said. 

But he also sees solutions.

"A lot of communities are saying, 'Well, if there's benefit, let's make it beyond the direct economic landholder usage,'" he said. 

"If that's education and health, [or] some wealth-generating infrastructure."