Bodangora Wind Farm - Amazon S3

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Bodangora Wind Farm

Decommissioning & Rehabilitation Plan (Project Approval Condition G2)

23 June 2017

BODANGORA WIND FARM DECOMMISSIONING & REHABILITATION PLAN

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Contents 24T1.24T 24TIntroduction24T ........................................................................................................................ 3

24T2.24T 24TProject Approval Condition24T ............................................................................................... 3

24T3.24T 24TProject Description24T ............................................................................................................ 3

24T3.124T 24TProject Approval24T ............................................................................................................ 3

24T3.224T 24TFinal Project Layout24T ...................................................................................................... 4

24T3.324T 24TProject Timetable24T .......................................................................................................... 4

24T3.424T 24TLandowner Lease Agreements24T ...................................................................................... 4

24T3.524T 24TConsultation24T .................................................................................................................. 4

24T4.24T 24TDecommissioning and Rehabilitation24T ............................................................................... 4

24T4.124T 24TWind Farm infrastructure24T ............................................................................................... 4

24T4.1.124T 24TWind turbines and foundations24T ............................................................................... 4

24T4.1.224T 24TAccess tracks, crane pads and laydown areas24T ....................................................... 5

24T4.1.324T 24TOperation and maintenance buildings24T .................................................................... 5

24T4.1.424T 24TElectrical substation and transmission line24T ............................................................. 5

24T4.224T 24TTraffic and transportation24T .............................................................................................. 5

24T4.324T 24TWaste minimisation strategy24T.......................................................................................... 6

24T5.24T 24TEstimated Costs24T ................................................................................................................. 6

24T5.124T 24TCosting24T .......................................................................................................................... 6

24T5.224T 24TFunding arrangements24T .................................................................................................. 7

24T6.24T 24TFuture updates24T ................................................................................................................... 8

Appendix A Project Layout Plan


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1. INTRODUCTION

This Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan (DRP) has been prepared by Infigen Energy Ltd on behalf of Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd for the decommissioning and rehabilitation phase of Bodangora Wind Farm. This Plan provides an update to the original DRP which was approved in May 2012 as part of the Bodangora Wind Farm Project Approval (MP 10_0157).

2. PROJECT APPROVAL CONDITION

In Schedule G, Condition G2 of the Project Approval requires Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd to update the DRP every 5 years from the date of preparation. Table 2.1 describes the requirements of the condition. Table 2.1 Project Approval Condition G2

Condition Comment

G2

The Proponent shall update the Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan every five years from the date of preparation, until decommissioning and rehabilitation is completed, and a copy of the updated versions provided to the Secretary and made publicly available.

Original DRP prepared May 2012. This DRP prepared June 2017. Next DRP update scheduled May 2022.

The updated Plan shall be consistent with the requirements of the draft NSW Planning Guidelines - Wind Farms (December 2011), as updated.

Guidance superseded by NSW Wind Energy Guideline for State significant wind energy development – December 2016 and referred to in this updated DRP.

The updated Plan shall include estimated costs of and funding arrangements for decommissioning, including provision for a decommissioning bond or other funding mechanisms, where the Plan concludes that estimated costs and funding arrangements are inadequate.

Estimated costs and funding arrangements detailed in section 5 of this DRP.

3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

3.1 Project Approval

Bodangora Wind Farm received planning approval on 30 August 2013 from the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure under Section 75J of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. The Project Approval authorised the construction and operation of up to 33 wind turbine generators and associated infrastructure. The Project was subsequently modified as follows:

• Modification 1 – to increase the wind turbine blade diameter whilst maintaining the overall tip height. Approved 13P

thP October 2015;

• Modification 2 – to modify the location of the substation, electrical infrastructure and access

tracks. Approved 5P

thP December 2016; and


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• Modification 3 – to modify the location of wind turbine 28 and 31 and a short section of

access track. Approved 22P

ndP June 2017.

3.2 Final Project Layout

The final project layout of Bodangora Wind Farm is provided in Appendix A and is the subject of this DRP.

3.3 Project Timetable

Construction of Bodangora Wind Farm is scheduled to commence in early July 2017. The construction period is approximately 18 months and operation will extend for 25 years. Decommissioning will occur at the end of the operation period. The decommissioning and rehabilitation works will be carried out within 18 months of the cessation of operation of the Project. At the end of the 25 year operational period, if an extended period of operation is required it will be subject to the relevant approvals from the Department of Planning and Environment, NSW.

3.4 Landowner Lease Agreements

The Bodangora Wind Farm lease agreements have adequate provisions to require that decommissioning occurs in accordance with the Approval and is the responsibility of Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd. In compliance with Project Approval B7, written evidence has been provided to the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE). Approval of this was received from the DPE on 14P

thP December 2016.

3.5 Consultation

Detailed consultation with the project landowners, local businesses and the local community will commence during preparation of the final iteration of the DRP which will be prepared prior to decommissioning commencing.

4. DECOMMISSIONING AND REHABILITATION

4.1 Wind Farm infrastructure

The following sections describe the indicative decommissioning approach to each of the primary wind farm components of Bodangora Wind Farm. The decommissioning approach is to follow the waste hierarchy, with a priority to reuse as many of the components as possible and recycle the remainder. This should maximise the salvage value and minimise the amount that is sent to landfill. The decommissioning shall be undertaken in accordance with the Decommissioning Environmental Management Plan (DEMP), required by Project Approval Condition G5, which must be submitted to the Secretary at least one month prior to commencement of decommissioning. The decommissioning work will not commence until the DEMP has been approved by the Secretary.

4.1.1 Wind turbines and foundations

Similar to the erection of the wind turbines, a crane will arrive on site and dismantle all wind turbine components. The turbine rotor, blades and nacelle will be removed using a crane with each component or blade lifted as a single unit and carefully to maximise the potential resale ability.


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The steel towers will be removed in sections and marketed for resale. If any of the wind turbine components cannot be sold, they will be recycled where possible. If the tower units are not bought they will be trucked to a scrap metal recycling plant. The location of this plant will be determined closer to the time of decommissioning, however at this stage two local options have been identified. The remainder of the turbine will be dismantled into smaller components to allow for more efficient recycling. This procedure will take place either at each wind turbine crane pad/ laydown area. The concrete foundation will be retained in the ground and covered with an appropriate top soil before reseeding.

4.1.2 Access tracks, crane pads and laydown areas

Access tracks have been designed to follow existing farm accesses where possible to ensure that the project footprint remains minimal and to provide landowners with the benefit of upgraded farm tracks. Consultation with landowners on whether they would like any access tracks, crane pads or laydown areas to remain on their land will occur prior to the commencement of decommissioning. Where access tracks, crane pads and laydown areas are identified for removal they will be decommissioned as follows. Road, crane pads or laydown areas base materials will be removed and recycled where possible. Fill material and topsoil will be used to backfill the voids and graded to match the surrounding landform before being reseeded or revegetated as appropriate.

4.1.3 Operation and maintenance buildings

Consultation with landowners and the local community will take place to establish if any of the site infrastructure or buildings could be recycled or reused in the local community. Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd would donate the site infrastructure or buildings locally where possible. If these assets are not identified for local use they will be decommissioned as follows. Prior to demolition, components comprising these facilities will be evaluated to determine the potential for resale and recycling. The below ground foundation and footings of the facilities will be left in situ and covered with clean topsoil. The rehabilitated areas will then be graded to match the slope and contour of the surrounding land to minimise any risk of soil erosion.

4.1.4 Electrical substation and transmission line

The electrical substation/switchyard and 132kV overhead transmission line will be owned and operated by TransGrid and may be addressed separately in respect to the DRP. This type of infrastructure typically has a longer design life than a wind farm. Prior to any decommissioning a thorough consultation will occur with the local network service provider (NSP). It is likely that most of the electrical substation and transmission line infrastructure will remain beyond the decommissioning of the wind farm. For any items that the NSP does not wish to retain ownership of, they will be removed and recycled as scrap metal if they cannot be used elsewhere.

4.2 Traffic and transportation

All of the wind turbines will be dismantled on site and broken into smaller pieces to allow for easier transportation. They will be stored on the site lay down area and then trucked to the nearest scrap metal recycler. A portable shredder will be bought on site to shred the fibre glass blades. The traffic and transport management plan used for construction will be updated to reflect the decommissioning traffic movements and a road dilapidation report will be undertaken pre and post decommissioning in line with Condition G4 of the Project Approval.


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At this stage two scrap metal merchants have been identified in nearby Dubbo as potential candidates for recycling of scrap metal. These are:

1. Matthews Metal Management 34 Mountbatten Drive Dubbo 2. Orana Wool Scrap Metal 21 Old Gilgandra Road Dubbo

The remainder of components will be either reused at various sites or landfill material will be disposed of through consultation with Dubbo Regional Council.

4.3 Waste minimisation strategy

Wind turbines primarily consist of steel, aluminium, copper, glass fibre, polyester, carbon fibre and epoxy. All resource recovery strategies will comply with the EPA Guidelines Assessment, Classification and Management of Liquid and Non-liquid Wastes, or the updated or relevant Guidelines available at the time of decommissioning. Wind Farm blades are composed of composite materials, which are more challenging to recycle than the rest of the wind turbine components. Table 4.1 describes the four main processes for recovering the materials. Prior to decommissioning, Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd will determine the optimal solution. Table 4.1 Composite recycling methods.

Process Description*

Mechanical The composite is broken down by shredding, crushing, milling or other similar processes. The resulting material can be separated into resin and fibrous products.

Pyrolysis The composite is heated to 450°C to 700°C in the absence of oxygen; the polymeric resin is converted into a gas or vapour while the fibres remain inert and are later recovered.

Oxidation in Fluidised bed

The fluidised bed process is the most well-known implementation. It consists of combusting the polymeric matrix in a hot and oxygen-rich air flow of 450°C to 550°C.

Chemical The polymeric resin is decomposed into oils which free the fibres for collection.

*Information sourced from (Producer Responsibility: Defining the incentive for recycling wind turbine blades in Europe, R Carrington et al. 2011)

5. ESTIMATED COSTS

5.1 Costing

Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd estimated decommissioning and rehabilitation costs in the original DRP in May 2012. These are outlined below.


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A decommissioning cost estimate was carried out by a quantitative surveyor for Infigen Energy’s Woodlawn Wind Farm, NSW in February 2012. An exert from the report is provided below. It can be assumed that these costs would be appropriate to apply to Bodangora Wind Farm.

This report assumed that the current net shortfall in salvage value per wind turbine is approximately $60,000. This is considered to be a conservative value and excludes a lot of potential in recouping costs from recycling the blades and also from other components that can be used in other applications.

5.2 Funding arrangements

The power plant will be operated and maintained by the turbine supplier for a minimum of ten years, and may be extended. During this period the supplier will be responsible for plant warranty and therefore the risk of the project requiring decommissioning or rehabilitation will be very low. If decommissioning was to occur at this time the costs of any such activities would be borne by the turbine supplier. Therefore the proposed funding plan for the Bodangora Wind Farm Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Fund starts at the end of the warranty period on the 10th year anniversary, which will likely be in 2028. Prior to the expiry of the warranty Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd will undertake another independent quantitative survey on the estimated decommissioning and rehabilitation costs of Bodangora Wind Farm. As outlined in Figure 5.1 below, there will be a decision point about whether a trust fund will be required. It is expected that this will be unlikely due to the salvage potential and scrap value of the materials being higher than the cost to dismantle and decommission. However, assuming is a


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shortfall, Bodangora Wind Farm Pty Ltd will create a trust fund that will be used to cover the costs of decommissioning and rehabilitation. The formula for calculating the annual contribution for the trust fund will be 10% of the estimated shortfall amount between the end of the warranty period and the decommissioning year, with a regular five year review

6. FUTURE UPDATES

As outlined in Condition G2 of the Project Approval, this DRP will be updated every five years from the date of preparation (May 2012), until decommissioning and rehabilitation. The next update to this report will be in May 2022. .

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Figure 5.1. Outline of Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan

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Appendix A Project Layout

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FIGURE : Project OverviewBodangora Wind Farm

Source: Aurecon, Infigen, LPI

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Projection: GDA 1994 MGA Zone 55

Legend

0 1,000 2,000 m

A person using Aurecon drawings and other data accepts the risk of:1. using the drawings and other data in electronic form without requesting and

checking them for accuracy against the original hard copy versions;

2. using the drawings or other data for any purpose not agreed to in writing by Aurecon.

Aurecon Australia Pty LtdLevel 2, 116 Military Road(PO Box 538)Neutral Bay NSW 2089, Australia

Telephone:Facsimile:

Email:+61 2 9465 5599+61 2 9465 5598

[email protected]

!? Wind Turbine Layout#7 Met Masts!%d Substation""! O&M Facility""! Site Compound×× Associated Residence×× Non-Associated Residence

! ! Existing 132kV Line!!! ! Existing 330kV Line

Cabling! ! 132kV Line

132kV Line 100m RouteCorridorAccess TrackRoad UpgradeWaterwaysProject AreaCadastre

Crown LandCrown WaterwayCrown Road

Service Layer Credits: Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme,Intermap, increment P Corp., GEBCO, USGS, FAO, NPS,

1:60,000 @ A3

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