01/09/2025
We would like to provide you with some important updates and summaries of our activities regarding the proposed Inverell Battery Project so far.
Community information events
Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet us, connect with us and ask questions last month at our community information sessions at both the Inverell Club, and at Freckles Café.
The sessions were a valuable opportunity for us to discuss the proposed Inverell BESS with community members, nearby residents, and local groups. We heard a wide range of views, and these insights will play a key role in shaping the project and its associated assessments as we move forward towards submitting the project’s Scoping Report and then commencing the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
We recognise the strong passion within the community and the depth of feeling expressed during the sessions. It’s clear there is a deep connection to the region, and a shared determination to ensure the land, landscape and the environment is respected and cared for, and no undue risk is presented to the community. We acknowledge and respect these perspectives and will work with you all as the proposed Inverell BESS progresses.
Community feedback survey
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the community survey. We received over 750 responses, which is a strong show of community engagement. Your time and input are greatly appreciated, and we do not take them for granted. Community feedback allows us to understand the community in far greater depth than we would have without your inputs.
What we heard
Many important questions have been raised from the community sessions, community survey, phone calls, emails, neighbour and stakeholder meetings, and we are working to address key concerns to include in a program of project updates, which we intend to be issuing via email regularly as the project progresses and assessment outcomes become clearer. We appreciate your patience.
Community members and stakeholders expressed concerns primarily focused on the following areas:
- Fire risk management and surrounding emergency planning.
- The visual impact to near neighbouring homes.
- The location of the proposed project considering its vicinity to residential areas, a national park and surrounding environment, an under-construction school, and the greater Inverell town.
- Pollution of the surrounding environment, from industrial material exposure during construction and in an emergency event.
- Impacts to property value, both residential and agricultural.
- Noise from both operations and construction, and the impact to peace, quiet and overall health of near neighbours and biodiversity alike.
- The consultation process, such as the initial notification process, the notification radius and the availability of information about impacts in the Scoping phase.
These and other concerns shared during the sessions are being taken seriously. Each issue raised will be carefully considered and investigated as part of the project’s ongoing planning and assessment processes.
Along with these points of concern, we have also received messages of support and interest from the community, about future employment opportunities, and community support and development opportunities, all of which we have noted, we thank you and will continue to engage on these topics also.
We are committed to continuing these conversations and will provide further information in our program of newsletter updates. These points will also be raised in the Engagement Summary Report as a part of the project’s Scoping Report lodgement to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI).
Over the next 12 to 15 months, as assessments are undertaken, we will continue to provide updates and share more detailed information to address common questions and concerns.
What happens next
The next step is the lodging of the Scoping Report, which the Project team will be doing later this month (September 2025). Once submitted, the DPHI will evaluate the Scoping Report and issue the Secretary Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) within 28 days. This issuance of SEARs signals the start of the EIS phase of the project.
You will be notified once the Scoping Report is lodged and available for view on the Major Projects Portal.
Opportunities for future discussion
One opportunity we see as a future point of discussion with the community is a Community Benefit Scheme (CBS). A CBS is a legislated requirement for large-scale projects such as the Inverell BESS and are designed to allow different benefit-sharing arrangements to distribute the proceeds of renewable energy projects to neighbours, local communities and regional communities around a proposed development.
When considering a CBS, we understand that administering these benefits as locally to Inverell as possible is a high priority, to ensure that benefits from the project are not only felt by South Energy but rather can be shared with the Inverell community.
We were provided with some fantastic ideas of what could be involved within the CBS, primarily through the community survey, and these will be outlined within the EIS. Discussions regarding the CBS will be held during meetings with Council (outlining what we have heard from the community and what suggestions have been raised).
We encourage you to continue to provide ideas that may contribute to the CBS using the contact details detailed at the end of this correspondence, and engage with us on these topics at all future engagement events.
The Benefit Sharing Guideline is available here, and provides information to developers, councils and communities about how benefit sharing should be incorporated into any development of large-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects in NSW.
Biodiversity survey
We would like to inform you of our most recent assessment works. In August, a biodiversity team consisting of 2 ecologists conducted the first phase of a biodiversity survey on the grassland, woodland and wildlife of the Project area. The list of species includes Owls, Koalas, Squirrel Gliders, Glossy Black Cockatoos and further examination of the current grassland and hollow bearing tree.
This was done over 7 days and 6 nights to allow sufficient sampling and evidence to inform our biodiversity assessment. Further surveys will take place throughout the year to ensure all the flora and fauna species on and around the Project site, have been accounted for.
About South Energy
South Energy, founded in 2018, is an Australian developer focusing on developing, building, and operating utility-scale renewable energy projects. Backed by Growland Group, an Australian leading property group with operations across the investment, development and management landscape, South Energy is well-supported to manage and deliver large-scale renewable energy projects in response to Australia’s initiatives for a net-zero carbon economy.
South Energy has developed five projects across Victoria and two projects in Western Australia, with a total capacity of over 1GW (gigawatt), and aim to continue growing their portfolio by delivering a total of 3GW over the next five years using various technologies that include, solar, wind, battery energy storage and hydrogen.
How to learn more and provide feedback
We’re committed to providing clear, accessible information and engaging with the community at every stage of the project. Please contact our team should you have any questions, using the details below:
P: (03) 8842 6888