BaTCA are strongly against the proposed Ballyrogan Wind Farm.
Squadron Energy intend to construct 149 turbines, each at a height of 252m on local farms. Please support our community to help stop this project by Squadron Energy.
Squadron Energy’s failures:
Lack of adherence to their own company values
Secretive consultation that kept our community in the dark over five years
Unanswered phone calls
Lack of communication with direct neighbours to the proposed Ballyrogan Wind Farm
Refusal to meet community members except one-to-one
Misrepresentation of the actual proximity of the project to established communities, such as Tatyoon
Open letter to Mr Rob Wheals, CEO of Squadron Energy
On Friday 1st August in an open letter regarding the proposed Ballyrogan Wind Farm, you acknowledged that Squadron Energy ‘didn’t get it right’ and that the actions of Squadron Energy have ‘created concern and division’, with a commitment to ‘doing better’. You outlined four key areas for improvement. It has been seven weeks since your letter was published, and our community is yet to hear from Mr Wheals. There seems to be some confusion within Squadron Energy about the difference between words and actions:
Action 1.‘Listen’: Given Squadron Energy will not hold another community meeting despite a public commitment to do so by staff member Alistair Smith, we are not sure how you intend to ‘listen’ to our community. You stated you are having ‘conversations with host land holders and nearby neighbours,’ as if they are the only stakeholders involved in this project. These meetings may be more about locking in non-disclosure agreements, so hosts and neighbours are unable to speak about the project. We will invite you to our next public meeting. Your presence at that meeting would be a good first step in listening.
Action 2.‘Take on board what is being said’: Please take on board the map above. There is no social licence for this project. Tabling the map at your next Squadron Energy executive and board meeting should be a non-negotiable.
Action 3.‘Re-think the way we approach things’: Rural Australia cannot be asked to bear the full burden of energy production. Heavy sales tactics in an atmosphere of secrecy, with potential hosts signed on years before the wider community is aware of a project is un-ethical and violates your company values of Humility, Family, Integrity, and Empowerment. Your approach to imposing windfarm projects should be revisited to ensure engagement with communities is completely honest and transparent right from the start. Then implement it.
Action 4.‘Respect and genuine partnership’: Many community members received an environmental survey from a company contracted by you in the past week, with no communication from Squadron Energy. This is NOT genuine partnership. We do not want to collect environmental information for Squadron Energy that will be used in a planning submission. If you want to know about the wetlands, flora and fauna that your proposed windfarm will impact, come to our community and see for yourself the dancing brolgas, nesting swans, majestic eagles and endangered bittern. On the way, you might like to drive through Rokewood, to see what being amongst 122 turbines at 230m feels like. Ask the people there, who haven’t signed non-disclosure agreements and who therefore are able to speak freely, how it is going. The project Squadron Energy want to build in our community is 149 turbines at 252m high. Treat us with respect and don’t pretend that living in an industrial landscape won’t change our lives and that of future generations beyond any imagining.
You closed your letter by appealing for applications for the Squadron Energy community sponsorship program. This undermines the sincerity of your apology and your pledge to ‘do better’ by trying to buy pre-proposal support in the face of overwhelming opposition. We strongly encourage community groups NOT to apply for funding while the project is ‘still in its early stages’ and ‘no planning application has been submitted’. You will be able to clarify this for us Mr Wheals, but we believe that grant applications are counted in planning applications as community support for a project.
We look forward to your next open letter.
Ballyrogan and Tatyoon Community Alliance
Squadron Energy’s Stakeholder Engagement Plan
BaTCA has significant concerns with the Stakeholder Engagement Plan that Squadron Energy released on July 11th and is available on their website.
It demonstrates Squadron’s process is a tick-the-box exercise, with no regard for engagement, knowledge or consideration of the community.
See Squadrons Stakeholder Engagement Plan above. Or download a copy by clicking the button below
Where’s the social license, Squadron?
A social licence is the earned trust and approval that an organisation receives from the general public. It is not a legal document, but it signifies that the community believes an organisation is acting in their best interests. Organisations need a social licence to function effectively. We believe Squadron Energy does NOT have a social licence for the proposed Ballyrogan Wind Farm.
Red: Opposing Community Members
Blue: Proposed Squadron Energy Wind Farm
To ensure renewable energy organisations have a social license to operate, the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner sets out best practice guidelines for community engagement. We believe Squadron Energy has not complied with any of the following guidelines:
3.2.1: ‘The developer should invest early in community engagement... well before the commencement of the permit approval phase.’
3.2.2: ‘The developer should proactively identify and establish effective working relationships with key community stakeholders, including those opposed to the project’.
3.2.3: This recommendation includes establishing a Community Consultative Committee (CCC) to be maintained throughout the life of the project.
3.2.4: This recommendation includes ensuring that the community is empowered with all necessary information about the project and is provided with a range of information and education opportunities to better understand the benefits and impacts of the project.
3.2.5: This recommendation includes ensuring there is a formal complaint and enquiry process that ‘enables community members to have their concerns addressed in a timely, consistent and transparent manner’.
To read more detail about these guidelines please click here.
This map shows the widespread opposition to the proposed Ballyrogan Wind Farm and continues to grow each day.
Squadron Energy intend to construct 149 turbines, each at a height 252+m tall, spanning over 13,600ha on local farms.
Email admin@batca.com.au if you would like your property added to this growing map of opposition.
What next?
Please sign this petition to stop the Ballyrogan windfarm. Protect our farms, our environment and our community. Your signature can make a real difference in ensuring that progress does not come at the cost of our environment, heritage and each other.