The Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) has made a special visit to Squadron Energy’s Sapphire Wind Farm to see how renewable energy projects work up close.
Ten members of the ALGWA, an organisation that advocates and supports women in local government, made the trek to Sapphire Wind Farm at the end of last month.
Mayors and councillors travelled from areas such as Wagga, Cumberland, Randwick, Lithgow, Forbes, Blacktown, Ku-ring-gai and North Sydney.
The ALGWA members were given a site tour that included the opportunity to see inside one of the turbines at the wind farm.
ALGWA NSW President and Ryde Councillor Penny Pedersen said the tour was a major highlight of the group’s visit to Inverell as it provided great insight into how wind farms operate.
“For many of our members, it was their first time standing beneath – and inside – a wind turbine,” Clr Pedersen said.
“There was genuine surprise at how quiet the turbines are, contrary to some of the misinformation floating around about renewable energy.”
Sapphire Wind Farm Site Operations Manager David Williamson said it was great to work with Inverell Shire and Glen Innes Severn Shire councils on the visit.
“Having the opportunity through ALGWA to showcase Sapphire Wind Farm to Local Government representatives from across New South Wales was a fantastic opportunity,” he said.
The ALGWA’s visit to Inverell was led by Inverell Shire Mayor Kate Dight.
Clr Pedersen said Mayor Dight “really made an effort to show us the town and experience firsthand the innovation happening in regional New South Wales”.
