The Glenrowan West Solar Farm, the first of these projects in our area that Jonathan and Rosie Koop so vehemently opposed, has 323,000 solar panels, on 323 hectares; the Nioka Solar project will have 420,000 solar panels on 404 hectares, so roughly 1000 solar panels to the hectare for both.
Sheep also graze under the panels at the Glenrowan West Solar Farm.
Our question is – how exactly does the Nioka agrisolar model differ from the Glenrowan West Solar Farm or any of the other solar farms existing within the Glenrowan/Winton cluster, setting it apart from other projects as claimed by Jonathan?
Mr Koop claims in the article to have visited neighbours, adjusting the design as concerns have emerged.
To-date, we would like it noted that 10 of the neighbours directly affected by this project still have not been contacted, and no-one has been privy to any conceptual designs, so how could our concerns have been reflected?
We would also like it noted, that as a community that has lived and loved this land for far longer than 15 years, all that we have asked for is the opportunity to meet with the proponents Johnathan and Rosie Koop to discuss this project as a group.
This request was denied.
We are not asking for much, just simple, transparent and decent consultation for what is causing social division, extreme distress and anxiety, and the potential for future economic hardship.
– Libby Foubister, on behalf of the team from NO NIOKA SOLAR
