Neoen Australia has received final approval for its first wind project in Western Australia, the 200 megawatt Narrogin wind farm, despite opposition from local councils. The USD 650 million project is scheduled to begin construction in February 2026 and is expected to create 15 ongoing jobs for the area.

Project Details and Specifications

The approved wind farm consists of 23 turbines with a tip height of 291 meters, representing a reduction from the original proposal of 28 turbines submitted last year. The project potentially includes a future 100 MW, 200 MWh battery component. Environmental authorities approved the development without requiring further review from either state or federal bodies.

Local Opposition and Community Concerns

During the approval hearing, opponents raised concerns about noise impacts and the visual changes turbines would bring to the rural landscape. Two shire councils continued to press the development assessment panel (DAP) to give greater consideration to locally developed renewable energy policies, designed to ensure that renewable energy projects align with community expectations.

The Williams shire deputation advocated for the panel to include a mandatory community benefits fund condition in the approval, preferring to use New South Wales' suggested payment rates of USD 1,050/MW per annum for wind, USD 850/MW per annum for solar, and USD 150/MWh per annum for batteries. However, the regional planning assessment declined to include a community enhancement fund as a condition of approval, stating it lacked a “planning purpose” under state regulations.

Instead, a USD 225,000 community fund was recommended by the regional development panel outside the formal approval process.

Panel Decision and Climate Change Context

DAP Commissioner Ray Haeren acknowledged the community's fears but emphasized that change is inevitable, given the impacts of climate change. During the hearing, Haeren stated: “There is a government position, both at a state and a national level, around the energy transition, and it is in that backdrop that we need to be able to move forward. Although there may be elements which we are having to deal with along the way, which are around change, and change is difficult, we are also dealing with the significant issues around the climate change issue and insurance companies not wishing to cover certain areas.”

Haeren explained that the approval decision considered both personal and government responsibilities to enable such developments, noting that turbines “are going to become increasingly part of the landscape” regarding visual impact concerns.

Previous Regulatory Challenges

The panel has consistently rejected council attempts to insert community funds and other community benefits, such as public art, into development approvals multiple times since the issue emerged earlier this year. Other renewable energy companies, including Ace Power, TrinaSolar, and South Energy, have successfully defeated similar attempts to bind them to specific fund structures and payment values.

Local Planning Policy Disputes

Neoen has faced challenges with its Wheatbelt project, with a Narrogin shire councillor accusing the developer of ignoring new local planning policies designed to ensure renewable energy projects meet community expectations. Narrogin and the surrounding Wheatbelt shires have struggled with the influx of renewable energy projects in their areas. In 2023, Narrogin implemented draft policies guiding the implementation of renewable energy, and earlier this year, it released guidelines for handling renewables in the absence of state-level guidance.

However, in its environmental impact statement for the Narrogin wind project, Neoen claimed that the 2023 policy “would make most wind projects unviable while being very conservative and not evidence-based.”

Developer Engagement and Commitments

Neoen reports it has been engaging with local stakeholders since 2022 and has committed to “go above and beyond” state requirements regarding benefits-sharing schemes. Despite the regulatory challenges, the company has maintained its development timeline for what represents its first wind energy project in Western Australia.

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