Useful resources for the community and landowners.

Disclaimer: The content on this webpage is provided for information purposes only and may not reflect the views of the Australian Government or the Office of the National Wind Farm Commissioner. No claim is made as to the accuracy or currency of any external content that is linked to this site at any time and no responsibility is taken for any information or services that may appear on any linked websites.

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Wind farms, safety and emergency management

There are a number of resources which provides guidance around the management of bushfires around wind farms:

• Wind Farms and Bushfire Operations - Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council, Oct 2018
• Emergency management guidelines for wind energy facilities - Country Fire Authority, CFA Victoria. May 2015
• Guidelines for wind farms - South Australian Country Fire Service, Government of South Australia, March 2016
• Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Wind Energy - World Bank Group, 2015
• Wind turbines fire protection guideline. European Guideline - CFPA-E No 22:2012 F. Confederation of Fire Protection Associations Europe, 2012
• Understanding aerial firefighting - South Australian Country Fire Service, Government of South Australia
• Response to Emergencies in Wind Turbines - Fire Engineering Magazine, United States, 2011
• Managing the Risk to Aviation Safety of Wind Turbine Installations - National Airports Safeguarding Framework, Department of Infrastructure, Government of Australia, 2012

Health

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) have both provided statements relating to wind farms and human health.

• Wind Farms and human health (NHMRC)
• Wind Farms and Health (AMA)

The NHMRC is also funding the following two research projects:

• Multidimensional assessment of the health Impacts of infrasound: Two randomised controlled trials, managed by the University of New South Wales. For further information on this study, visit the Wind Farm Study website.
• Establishing the physiological and sleep disruption characteristics of wind farm versus traffic noise disturbances in sleep, managed by The Flinders University of South Australia. For further information on this study, visit the Wind Farm Noise Study website.

The International Finance Corporation has also published Guidelines that relate to wind farms and human health.

• Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Wind Energy - World Bank Group, 2015

In November 2018, the World Health Organization published Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region (see pages 77-86 in relation to wind turbine noise):

• Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region

Independent Scientific Committee on Wind Turbines

• Further information on the Committee
• 2017 Annual Report
• John Davy, Kym Burgemeister, David Hillman. Applied Acoustics. 2018. Wind turbine sound limits: Current status and recommendations based on mitigating noise annoyance
• John Davy, Kym Burgemeister, David Hillman, Simon Carlile. Trends in Hearing. 2018. A Review of the Possible Perceptual and Physiological Effects of Wind Turbine Noise

Resources for landowners

• Wind farm guide for host landowners - Commissioned by NSW Farmers' Association, Sydney, GHD Pty Ltd. 2013
• Landholder benchmark compensation rates: Gas exploration and production in NSW. Energy - Final Report - Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, Sydney, November 2015
• Financial payments made to landowners by the wind industry

Publications

Reports

• 2018 Annual Report - 31 March 2019
• 2017 Annual Report - 31 March 2018
• 2016 Annual Report - 31 March 2017

Policies

• Complaints Handling Policy
• Information Handling Policy

Forms

• Appointment of Nominee form
• Information Handling Approval form

Bulletins

• Financial payments made to landowners by the wind industry
• Wind Farm Complaint Handling - Bulletin 20 June 2016 (Updated 17 August 2016)

Presentations

• Opening Statement to Senate Estimates Environment and Communications Legislation Committee - April 2019
• Commissioner's Updates - July 2018
• Community Consultative Committee Presentation - 13 December 2017
• All-Energy Australia Conference Presentation - 11 October 2017
• Hawkesdale Community Meeting Presentation - 22 September 2017
• Presentation to the Australian Clean Energy Summit - 19 July 2017
• Presentation to COAG Energy Council - 14 December 2016
• Best Practice Community Engagement - Some Observations