Liverpool Range Wind Farm
and Transmission Line.

The project

The Liverpool Range Wind Farm project in the Upper Hunter Valley has received planning approval for the construction and operation of up to 267 wind turbines, with a maximum capacity of up to 1000 MW.

Our role in the project

Niche was engaged by Tilt Renewables to provide a preliminary desktop assessment of ten parcels of land identified as having the potential to satisfy the offset requirements of the Liverpool Range Wind Farm and Transmission Line.

The aim of the assessment was to undertake investigations to determine the biodiversity values at each site and to assess their potential for use as offset sites and establishment as Biodiversity Stewardship Sites.

Challenges

Biodiversity offset liabilities for the project were previously calculated under the now-outdated BioBanking scheme and so key challenges included re-calculating existing ecosystem and species offset liabilities according to the new Biodiversity Offset Scheme and estimating offset liabilities within a framework of as-yet-undetermined impacts.

Niche also provided a cost-benefit analysis to understand the most cost-effective means of satisfying offset liabilities, based on the sites selected (e.g. purchase of credits versus establishment of Biodiversity Stewardship Sites).

Our findings allowed the client to understand which sites were best suited to meeting their biodiversity offset requirements and to develop the most cost-effective approach for securing these.

The advantages we delivered to this project

• A team of 11 Accredited BAM Assessors who have worked on numerous small and large-scale biodiversity offsetting projects across NSW
• A clear understanding of the financial mechanisms of the Biodiversity Offset Scheme which enabled an offset strategy to be developed that significantly reduced the costs associated with meeting Tilt Renewables’ biodiversity offset liabilities
• Strong and pragmatic working relationships with regulators including the federal Department of Environment and Energy, NSW Local Land Services and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Division (DPIE)

Find out more

• Contact us to discuss how we can support your project.
• Read more about Natural Capital and Biodiversity Offsetting.