Concerns have been stirred around a planned wind farm in Victoria. 

Proponents are raising alarms over unexpected government environmental recommendations that could derail the $800-million Willatook Wind Farm initiative. 

The proposed wind farm, intended to power up to 200,000 Victorian homes, has encountered turbulence due to its proximity to endangered species habitats, including the brolga crane and the southern bent-wing bat.

Recommendations put forth by Victorian Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny, call for increased buffer zones around the habitats of these species. 

This would lead to a reduction in the number of turbines and the overall energy output of the project. 

Additionally, a five-month construction moratorium during the brolga breeding season is also proposed, further complicating the project's viability.

Ben Purcell, the managing director of Wind Prospect, the company behind the Willatook Wind Farm, has expressed surprise and concern regarding the recommendations. 

“The project isn't viable if we were to implement the recommendations... It's not just an issue with the Willatook Wind Farm. It's an issue with the industry more broadly ... It sets a really dangerous precedent,” Purcell stated.

Clean Energy Council policy director Nicholas Aberle has echoed these concerns, emphasising the potential impact on renewable energy goals. 

“If these are the types of restrictive conditions that we're going to see on wind farms in future in Victoria, then there's no way we'll meet the government targets for renewable energy or for climate change,” Aberle warned.

Despite the setbacks, the Victorian government maintains its commitment to achieving 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035. 

While the recommendations represent a hurdle for the wind farm project, the government sees them as a step towards balancing renewable energy ambitions with biodiversity preservation.

The fate of the Willatook Wind Farm now hangs in the balance as stakeholders navigate these challenges. 

With the wind farm project having faced community and council opposition since its announcement in 2011, the recent government recommendations add another layer of complexity to its already tumultuous journey towards realisation.