Wind farm needs govt approval

Hepburn Shire Advocate
Wednesday 27/6/2007 Page: 14

WIND Power will need State Government approval for its proposed wind farm at Lexton because changes to the design mean it will produce more energy. The turbines the company planned to use in the 19-tower farm are no longer being made and the new turbines will generate more energy, making the wind farm large enough to require Victorian Government approval, according to spokesman Andrew Newbold. He said the new German-made turbines would not look any different.

"The change has come about because of a world-wide shortage of turbines. "The new turbines will be more expensive but on the flip side they will generate a lot more energy," Mr Newbold said. "The alternative turbines in fact confirm exactly to the permit in every respect in relation to height, noise, blades, so there's no visible effect by the change," he said.