The fight against a large-scale solar and battery project in central Victoria is heating up after a local council sided with upset residents and voted to oppose the increasingly controversial Cooba solar farm. Canadian developer Venn Energy wants to build the 500 megawatt (MW) Cooba solar farm and 300 MW battery, duration currently unknown, which would be located 4.5 km south of the town of Colbinabbin. Anxiety in the community has been rising all year about the proposal, manifesting in an online petition against it and worries that the 700,000 panels might create a “heat island” effect which could affect neighbouring vineyards. Similar concerns at other projects about “heat island” impacts have been debunked.

Marshall County will not move forward with the Tamarack Solar Energy Center project. A 4-1 vote from the Board of Zoning Appeals Dec. 9 denied the proper approvals for Invenergy to move forward with its venture in Union Township. "One of the core principles of our comprehensive plan was to preserve the rural nature of Marshall County," said Jesse Bohannon, Marshall County Council President and Commissioner-elect. "While they might call these things solar farms, they're actually power plants. And to add you know, what would have been 1500 acres of power plant to rural Union Township, certainly doesn't preserve the rural nature of the county." According to inner G's website, the Tamarack solar energy center would have been a 150 MW Solar farm, producing enough electricity to power 29,000 homes, and reduce the emissions equivalent to planting 61 million trees. It would provide 175 construction jobs, and $100 million in local revenue. But these promises don't outweigh the harms risks or fears that Marshall County residence are bringing up.

Greece has suspended three wind power projects in the country’s northeastern region of Thrace, which was devastated by a massive wildfire in 2023, following the appeal of three environmental organizations. The Greek Ministry of the Environment and Energy has revoked the environmental licenses for three wind power projects, issued by the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia-Thrace in August 2024, after the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace and WWF Greece (World Wildlife Fund) argued in their appeal that the environmental impact assessments for the wind farms were not aligned with the latest and most relevant data, as required by law.

Kerry County Council is to recommend that An Bórd Pleanála refuse planning permission for a proposed wind farm in East Kerry. Cummeenabuddoge Wind Designated Activity Company has applied to An Bórd Pleanála for permission to build a 17-turbine wind farm in the east of the county. The company applied directly to An Bórd Pleanála for permission as the wind farm was deemed Strategic Infrastructure Development.

The Pennington County Board of Commissioners has determined there is a present need to study the impact of utility-scale alternative energy systems in all Pennington County Zoning Districts in order to evaluate whether current zoning regulations reasonably address concern for public health, safety and welfare. WHEREAS, SDCL § 11-2-10 authorizes the Board of County Commissioners, in the interest of public health, safety and general welfare, to adopt temporary zoning controls for a reasonable period of time in order to study, identify and consider necessary land use regulations; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that the Pennington County Board of Commissioners hereby authorize a one (1) year moratorium on the issuance of any new permits and/or approval of land uses for proposed utility-scale alternative energy systems, including both solar and wind energy systems, regulated under Section 317 of the Pennington County Zoning Ordinance, in all Pennington County Zoning Districts. This moratorium shall expire on November 18, 2025 unless otherwise extended by law.

The Pennington County Board of Commissioners has determined there is a present need to study the impact of utility-scale alternative energy systems in all Pennington County Zoning Districts in order to evaluate whether current zoning regulations reasonably address concern for public health, safety and welfare. WHEREAS, SDCL § 11-2-10 authorizes the Board of County Commissioners, in the interest of public health, safety and general welfare, to adopt temporary zoning controls for a reasonable period of time in order to study, identify and consider necessary land use regulations; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that the Pennington County Board of Commissioners hereby authorize a one (1) year moratorium on the issuance of any new permits and/or approval of land uses for proposed utility-scale alternative energy systems, including both solar and wind energy systems, regulated under Section 317 of the Pennington County Zoning Ordinance, in all Pennington County Zoning Districts. This moratorium shall expire on November 18, 2025 unless otherwise extended by law.

At last night’s meeting Campaspe Shire Council agreed to formally oppose the planning application for the Cooba Solar Farm, citing significant concerns regarding its impact on agricultural land and the local environment. The Council's submission to the Minister for Planning will highlight several unresolved issues and deficiencies in the proposal. Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Daniel Mackrell noted that Council’s submission will argue that the project does not align with the strategic planning context and fails to demonstrate strong economic community benefits, particularly in relation to job creation and procurement....The proposed solar farm, known as the Cooba Solar Project, would cover 665 hectares and include about 700,000 solar panels along with a battery storage system.

Greece’s Ministry of the Environment and Energy has revoked the environmental licenses for three wind power projects in region of Thrace following an appeal by three environmental organizations. The environmentalists are now calling on the ministry to suspend wind power projects in the areas affected by the 2023 wildfires, as well as neighboring areas, in order to preserve sensitive protected bird populations. The projects’ impact assessments failed to adequately account for the environmental consequences of the devastating summer 2023 wildfires, they claimed.

he Mathews County Planning Commission resoundingly rejected two applications for conditional use permits for solar farms during Tuesday night’s meeting, held in the historic courthouse. The first application, located on 52.6 acres belonging to the Garrett family at Hudgins and listed under a business trust, WLGEPG Valley View, was rejected unanimously by the commission, with member Donald Morgan absent. The second parcel, belonging to Robert and Judy Gayle and abutting both John Clayton Memorial Highway and Church Street, was denied on a 5-0 vote, with member Frances Minor abstaining because of a personal relationship with the applicants. During presentation of the project, planning and zoning staff member Lynn Edwards recommended denial based on challenges the county faces that she said make it unsuitable for utility-scale solar facilities. She said there are extensive areas of poorly-drained soils, along with floodplains, wetlands, and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act...

U.S. Light Energy isn’t getting a pass. The firm on Monday was denied a request to bypass the town of Johnstown’s twice-extended solar moratorium in order to advance the establishment of a two-megawatt project. Town lawmakers rejected company representatives' assertion that U.S. Light Energy should’ve been exempt from the get-go and now faces economic adversity as a result of municipal policy. “They're very much aware of what we've been looking at,” said Johnstown Town Supervisor Christina VanValkenburgh in an interview. This marks the second time that the Colonie-based firm has been denied an exemption since the moratorium began in March. It’s set to run out again early next year.