Ben Bullen Wind Farm

Tetris Energy is committed to ongoing and genuine engagement with the local community and project stakeholders to build strong relationships and establish a socially sustainable project.   

To help promote a high standard of community engagement across the industry, the Clean Energy Council has developed a Best Practice Charter for Renewable Energy Projects with an emphasis on community engagement. Tetris Energy is committed to honouring this charter in our renewable energy projects.  

We will continue to engage with neighbours and broaden the consultation effort to include the wider community and stakeholders throughout the planning process as more assessments and investigations are completed and detailed information becomes available.  

This consultation will provide valuable local insights into identifying opportunities and constraints for the proposal. Please use the signup form below to register your interest. 

The Ben Bullen Wind Farm project is considered State significant development (SSD) under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) SSD declarations may be made by a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) or by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces (the Minister) and is generally based on the scale, nature, location, and strategic importance of the development to the State.  

All SSD projects require development consent from either the Independent Planning Commission or the Minister before they may proceed. Prior to determination, they are subject to a comprehensive assessment with extensive community participation. The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure co-ordinates this assessment. All SSD projects are determined on their merits, having regard to their economic, environmental, and social impacts and the principles of ecologically sustainable development.  

All current State Significant Applications can be found on the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure’s Major Projects Portal, which provides a platform to gain an insight into the status of the assessment process, access all relevant assessment materials for the Development Applications, and contact details for the Department’s assessment officer.  

The assessment materials for the Ben Bullen Wind Farm, including the Scoping Report and the Project’s Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements once issued, are publicly available and accessible on the Major Projects Portal, here.

Tetris Energy will undertake comprehensive technical, environmental, and social studies which, together with further community consultation, will shape the development of Ben Bullen Wind Farm. This includes continuing our engagement with the Lithgow region communities to understand ways that the area can benefit from the project, such as key gaps in infrastructure or suggestions for local initiatives.  This can include development of a benefit sharing program to support the local community and provide a long-lasting legacy in the area. 

Investment in Lithgow City Council region will assist:  

• energy industry transition – from thermal generation to renewable energy.  

• employment – both direct (technicians, electricians etc) and indirect (concrete, services etc).  

• energy reliability and security for the region; broader community-led funding initiatives.  

• provide renewable energy supply for local battery energy storage projects, and  

• utilise the regions existing transmission assets.  

Register your interest as a local supplier on the form below. 

Ben Bullen Wind Farm would have the potential to supply clean energy to around 260,000 NSW homes and avoid 945,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. 

The Australian energy landscape is transitioning to a greater mix of low-emission renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Factors driving this transition include:  

• Demand for more reliable energy supply.  

• Consumer demand for lower energy bills.  

• State and federal government commitments to reduce carbon emissions.  

• Scheduled closure of fossil-fuel generation sources such as coal.  

The Australian Energy Market Operator has identified that storage capacity needs to triple within the National Energy Market to meet electricity demands, while the New South Wales Electricity Roadmap forecasts an additional 2.3 GW of energy storage is needed to maintain system security and reliability. 

Once completed, Ben Bullen Wind Farm would be expected to operate for up to 35 years. As a signatory to the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter, Tetris Energy is committed to working respectfully with wind farm communities during wind farm development, construction, operation, and end of life decommissioning and takes community concerns regarding decommissioning seriously.  

Decommissioning means that the wind turbines, BESS, site office and any other ancillary infrastructure is removed from the site, and roads and foundation pads are covered and revegetated, allowing land to be returned to its former use. Typically, landowner contracts and Development Applications contain definite clauses setting out the expectations around rehabilitating the site.

Read more on the Clean Energy Council’s Decommissioning guidelines here.