Catriona Rowntree fights renewable battery farm plans near her home

Catriona Rowntree, a prominent television personality, has publicly criticized plans for a large-scale renewable battery farm proposed by AC Energy in Little River, Victoria, located 44km southwest of Melbourne. The project, which aims to establish a 350MW/700MWh lithium battery farm, is currently under assessment by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning. Rowntree has raised concerns about the safety risks associated with the project, particularly given the area's history of bushfires and recent extreme weather conditions, including high winds. The proposed site is situated in a high fire zone, which Rowntree highlighted by referencing the devastating bushfires of 1969 that affected the region. She has called on the Geelong Council to support her efforts to block the project, arguing that the local community was not adequately informed about the plans. Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan echoed her sentiments, stating that the community was caught off guard by the proposals. Rowntree has suggested that an alternative location would be more suitable for the battery farm, emphasizing the need to prioritize safety in agricultural areas prone to high winds. The battery energy storage system (BESS) is designed to manage electrical energy and provide flexibility in energy release, which is crucial for addressing power fluctuations and outages. If approved, construction of the battery farm is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2025, with the facility set to be operational by late 2026. This project is part of a broader push for renewable energy initiatives in Victoria, which have recently been streamlined for faster approval processes.