Wind Energy Facilities
Wind energy facilities in Victoria require a planning permit.
The Minister for Planning is responsible for assessing all proposals that have a capacity of 30 megawatts or greater. The Minister decides an application after a public hearing and report by Planning Panels Victoria.
The local Council is the responsible authority where a proposed wind energy facility has a capacity of less than 30MW.
Policy and planning guidelines - updated September 2009
The Victorian Government's 'Policy and planning guidelines for development of wind energy facilities in Victoria' (the Guidelines) have ensured a consistent approach to the development of wind energy facilities since 2002.
The Guidelines have been technically updated. They ensure that renewable energy policy and technical assessment criteria are up to date. The update supplements existing assessment criteria for the siting and design of wind energy facilities.
Policy and planning guidelines for development of wind energy facilities, 2009 (PDF - 371 KB) List of updates to wind energy guidelines, 2009 (PDF - 95 KB)
The following attachments contain information about calculating the greenhouse benefits of wind energy development and other helpful links and sources of information.
Greenhouse benefits (PDF - 117 KB) Agency Contacts (PDF - 127 KB) Internet links (PDF - 96 KB) Useful publications and references ( - 126 KB)
DPCD contacts
Wind energy projects in Victoria
A summary of current and proposed wind energy projects in Victoria can be found at the Department of Primary Industries Wind Projects in Victoria web page.
Planning permit conditions
Model planning permit conditions for wind energy facilities have been provided to assist all parties involved in permit applications for wind energy facilities where the Minister for Planning is the responsible authority.
Model planning permit conditions for wind energy facilities, February 2009 (DOC - 171 KB)
The conditions are for guidance only and should be adapted depending on the individual circumstance of each wind energy proposal.
The manual Writing Planning Permits (February 2007) includes conditions relevant to native vegetation including offset requirements.