The Abbott government has become more isolated with its attack on renewables. AGL Energy’s Greenhouse Gas Policy, released on Friday 17 April, expresses the company’s commitment to invest in renewable energy and retire coal power plants. AGL’s greenhouse gas policy … Continue reading RET Watch: Abbott govt looking in the wrong direction on energy
Published by RenewEconomy. View original article. This is a graph that makes wind farm developers anxious. It was produced in a presentation made by senior AGL Energy executives in late May, and illustrates what would happen to the wind energy … Continue reading Graph of the Day: Australian wind farm projects at risk
Published by the VicWind Alliance. View the original article.
When the Macarthur wind farm, the southern hemisphere’s largest wind farm, was officially launched on Friday it marked the completion of a remarkable journey for local farmers Tom Robertson and Hamish and Anna Officer.
In 2001 Tom, Hamish and Anna began their search for companies who would build a wind farm to generate clean, renewable energy on their properties, 20km east of Macarthur in South Western Victoria.
In the 12 years since then, with long months of challenging negotiations, a global financial crisis and numerous twists and turns there were several times when all seemed lost. But finally in 2011 luck started running their way and the contract for the project we see today was signed.
As Vestas global Chief Executive Ditlev Engel, who traveled from Copenhagen for the opening, said, quoting Walt Disney, “if you can dream it, do it.”
AGL Chief Executive Michael Fraser described the Macarthur wind farm as a “nation-building” project that had the wider support of the surrounding community. Continue reading “Farmers’ dreams realised at Macarthur”
Southwest Victoria’s regional economy has boomed from the construction of the Macarthur and Oaklands wind farms. To date, the projects have pumped $67 million into the local economy, employed around 900 people during construction, and will provide 52 ongoing jobs.
The report’s findings are consistent with the Baillieu government’s own figures which found that, in 2009 alone, the wind energy sector pumped $1.2 billion into the Victorian economy.
Despite the apparent economic benefits wind farms deliver for regional communities, Premier Ted Baillieu’s planning reforms have shut down Victoria’s once thriving wind energy sector.
Since the introduction of the VC82 planning amendment in August 2011, 700+ megawatts of wind farm projects have been withdrawn (see ‘The Wind Farms That Baillieu Killed…‘) and not one major project been approved.
Unless Premier Baillieu has the good sense to repeal the VC82 amendment, regional Victoria is unlikely to enjoy the economic benefits of wind farms in the near future. Continue reading “Wind farms pump $67m into southwest Victoria”
The Macarthur wind farm, which is currently under construction in western Victoria, will start generating clean renewable energy this weekend. Once completed, the farm will be the southern hemisphere’s largest wind energy project.
Projects like the Macarthur wind farm are critically important for Victoria’s transition from an economy powered by fossil fuels to one powered by renewables. Unfortunately, the anti-wind farm regulatory environment created by the Baillieu government means it could be some time before Victoria gains another wind farm of this scale.
Peter Collins reports for The Standard: Continue reading “The Standard: Macarthur Wind Farm Turbines Start Generating Electricity”
While wind farms are being blocked and stopped by state government legislation, gas plants are all go. But they aren’t necessarily very popular with their neighbours. Take the following two stories, one about the Port Campbell gas plant, the other … Continue reading Gas plants on the nose with locals
In a disappointing move, Planning Minister Matthew Guy and Regional Cities Minister Denis Napthine have said that the exclusion zone applied to occupied residences near wind towers does not apply in the case of the proposed Tarrone gas fired power station . Why is the government giving one part of the community rights of veto over energy developments and denying them to another group? From the Warrnambool Standard. Journalist: PETER COLLINS 08 Jun, 2011 Buffer zone laws don’t apply to gas CALLS for a two-kilometre buffer zone around a proposed gas power station at Tarrone do not fall under the … Continue reading residents near turbines to get 2 km right of veto, residents near gas turbines get nothing
The following comes from the Warrnambool Standard, journalist: SHANE FOWLES All fired up over Tarrone power station emissions It will be most interesting to see if the Minister grants a 2 km buffer for the gas fired power station. If he intends to give a 2 km buffer to residents around a proposed wind farm, it would seem only fair to grant the same right in the case of a gas power station. RESIDENTS adjacent the proposed Tarrone gas-fired power station have called for a buffer around the plant because of noise and emission concerns. A petition with 21 signatures … Continue reading ‘All fired up over Tarrone power station emissions’
This article is from the Portland Observer, journalist: Bill Meldrum. A note of caution amongst this good news: “It is understood there is still strong concern within Keppel Prince and wind energy companies to proposed moves by the government to put further planning controls on wind farm developments within Victoria.” Keppel plans to expand PORTLAND wind tower manufacturer Keppel Prince Engineering is planning a new $6 million blasting and painting facility. The board of its parent company Singapore-based Keppel Integrated Engineering Ltd has approved the expansion on the proviso that Keppel Prince Engineering secures more work. The expansion plans were … Continue reading Portland wind tower manufacturer to expand operations
The following comes from the Warrnambool Standard. Journalist – Andrew Thomson 05 Mar, 2011 Projects to deliver 600 jobs ABOUT 600 construction jobs are being generated by two south-west wind farms underway at a total cost of $1.2 billion. AGL Energy said the Macarthur and Glenthompson projects would use a large component of local district workers who would be given skilled training. The giant $1 billion 140-turbine Macarthur wind farm will be the largest in the southern hemisphere generating enough power for 220,000 homes. Direct construction expenditure from this project alone is estimated to add about 1.5 per cent to … Continue reading Macarthur and Glenthompson projects to deliver 600 jobs
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