Business View Oceania | March 2020

87 88 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA MARCH 2020 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA MARCH 2020 WESTWIND ENERGY PTY LTD is and what the potential is for a wind project on that land. If we think at a desktop level that it has merit, we endeavour to meet with the farmer in person to talk about the development process, how we work, and if there’s still interest we then work through contractual arrangements with the farmer and start the development process. This often requires the neighbours of that farmer as well because usually one landholding is not large enough for a windfarm, so we need a group of landholders to work with.” Initially, WestWind Energy enters into an Option to Lease agreement with the farmer that basically says if all the studies indicate there is a viable project there, and the company gets permission to build a project, that the farmer would enter into a lease agreement. WestWind would lease the land for an agreed term, typically 25 years with extension options to 35 years. In terms of land use, the impact is very small. Infrastructure usually takes up one to two percent of the land, predominantly with access track to get to the turbines. Often those tracks are aligned with existing farm tracks or farmers are allowed to use the WestWind tracks that then become part of the farming operation. According to Geiger, “It doesn’t make sense for us to purchase the land for a wind farm. In a solar development, that’s quite different because it covers a lot more land area and also that land cannot be used for cropping anymore. So, often the solar developer would purchase the land rather than lease.” Marla Brauer, WestWind Energy COO, adds, “With regard to environmental issues, landholders that have been involved in our sort of projects feel very strongly that it is a very tangible, sizeable contribution that they’re making in a positive way toward counteracting climate change.” All of the WestWind Energy wind farms are connected to the national electricity grid. That is part of the land selection process – to identify the location of the nearest national DO AS WESTWIND ENERGY DOES Choose greenmatch as your partner. With greenmatch you can structure, manage and transact your investments in wind, solar, hydro and biomass: Operation For each project phase Get in touch! www.greenmatch.ch Renewable Energy Finance Software & Consulting Transaction Construction Development For all market players Our services and products