Australia’s transition to net zero could be streamlined by establishing a pool of independent assessors for renewable energy projects.
An insights paper from global professional services company GHD argues a scheme, which would mirror existing approval mechanisms in other industries, would streamline the “often slow, complex and frustratingly inconsistent” environment and planning approvals pathway which currently supports renewables development in Australia.
Co-authored by GHD Market Lead (Environment) Sally Wilson and GHD Technical Director (Contamination Assessment and Remediation) Drew Morgan, the paper suggested the contaminated land site auditor model, which had been successfully used by the environmental regulator across multiple states nationally, offered a promising way forward for the energy and resources industry.
Ms Wilson and Mr Morgan said they often hear from investors and developers that it was taking significant and increasing time to secure Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act approvals for renewable energy projects.
“The EPBC process is often lengthy and complex, requiring multiple levels of assessment, consultation and approval.”
They say a recent review of the EPBC, the Samuel Review, found the complexity of the EPBC Act made it time-consuming and costly for proponents given the “heavy reliance on detailed prescriptive processes that are convoluted and inflexible”.
“Another significant challenge identified in the Samuel Review is the skills shortage within the agencies responsible for approvals.”
Ms Wilson and Mr Morgan said there were four key areas that could help de-risk the energy transition and streamline renewable energy approvals, while also managing and mitigating impacts to the environment and communities:
- Prioritisation: The EPBC framework should adopt a risk-based approach to prioritise and differentiate among projects, simplifying approvals for low-risk projects.
- Upskilling: Agencies responsible for approvals should invest in upskilling and training their staff to strengthen their technical skills, experience and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- National renewables auditor network: The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) should develop a pool of independent, accredited renewables assessors to undertake assessment of approval applications on behalf of the new Environment Protection Australia (EPA).
- Public awareness: The energy and resources industry should increase public awareness and understanding of the independent assessor network and its potential benefits for renewable energy projects.
They said these priority areas were crucial for addressing the current challenges and improving the EPBC approvals process for renewable energy projects, adding the national renewables auditor network could be based on the site auditor model used in the contamination and remediation sector.
“A site auditor is an independent and accredited specialist who, along with an expert support team, reviews and certifies contaminated land reports and plans prepared by project proponents or consultants, often associated with brownfield redevelopment.
“Most states with site auditor schemes have planning guidelines which provide consent authorities the option to involve a site auditor to carry out independent reviews as part of a development proposal.”
Ms Wilson and Mr Morgan said the process of appointing site auditors was a rigorous one, and scheme guidelines typically had strong controls around conflicts of interest.
“Site auditors are themselves audited by their accreditation body on a regular basis to ensure consistency and compliance with applicable guidelines and legislation.”
The GHD duo said the auditor model had several benefits:
- It streamlines the process and reduces approval times and costs, as site auditors act as a single point of contact, providing consistent, reliable assessments.
- It builds confidence and accountability among project proponents and regulators, since site auditors offer high levels of technical expertise and professional integrity and are subject to audits and reviews.
- It encourages a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, as site auditors can keep up to date on the latest technologies and practices and provide feedback and guidance to both project proponents and regulators.
Read the full insights paper: A potential option for streamlining renewable energy approvals in Australia.
