Category: Bellarine Peninsula

Anglesea, Baillieu Government, Bellarine Peninsula, coal vs renewables, community owned wind farms, community support for windfarms, Geelong, geothermal energy, health impacts, Napthine Government, Policy Watch, renewable energy, VC82, Victorian Coalition, wind farm 'no go' zones4 Comments

Policy Watch: Coalition govt kill second renewable project in Geelong /Surf Coast region

Leigh Ewbank

Geothermal energy, #10Plans for a 12MW geothermal energy installation to power the industrial city of Geelong and Surf Coast region has been scrapped after the Napthine Government withdrew a $25 million grant for the project.

So, what does the move tell Victorians about the Napthine government’s energy policy?

The Napthine government is starting to look like it’s anti-renewable energy. Its decision to pull funding from a geothermal energy project comes on top of Ted Baillieu’s anti-wind farm laws which have cost the state thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions worth of investment. To date, Premier Napthine has shown no interest in dealing with his predecessors policy failure.

The scrapped funding for a geothermal power station is the second renewable energy project to be killed off in the Geelong region since the Coalition took office.  Continue reading “Policy Watch: Coalition govt kill second renewable project in Geelong /Surf Coast region”

Bellarine Peninsula, climate change, coal vs renewables, South Barwon, VC82, victoria, Victorian Coalition, wind farm 'no go' zones4 Comments

Laws need the winds of change

Leigh Ewbank

Published by The Surf Coast Times: The increased severity of Hurricane Sandy that recently battered the east coast of the United States and Haiti reminds us of the urgent challenge of climate change. When it comes to taking action to … Continue reading Laws need the winds of change

Anglesea, Bellarine Peninsula, geothermal energy, Greenearth Energy, victoria, Victorian CoalitionLeave a comment

Baillieu government commits $5m towards geothermal project

Cam Walker

Thursday November 3rd 2011 Friends of the Earth geothermal funding a significant step forward for Baillieu government Environmental organisation Friends of the Earth has welcomed the announcement that the state government has granted $5 million towards a geothermal project in the Surf Coast Region. “In recent weeks, the Surf Coast community has been focused on the announcement that Alcoa will get another 50 years to burn highly polluting coal at Anglesea” said Friends of the Earth campaigns co-ordinator Cam Walker. “We have received very strong feedback from residents that they do not want coal mining”. “The Alcoa decision locks us … Continue reading Baillieu government commits $5m towards geothermal project

Bellarine Peninsula, community support for windfarmsLeave a comment

‘windy days make me happy’

Cam Walker

Apologies for the silence the last few days, I have been letter-boxing around Anglesea and talking with people about how they feel about having an extended coal mine in their back yards for another 50 years (some info on that campaign available here). Needless to say, most people aren’t too keen on the idea and are certainly grumpy when you explain that if it was a single wind turbine they would have a right of veto, yet the 2,000 residents that live within 2 km of the Alcoa coal mine don’t have this right. Will do a report on the … Continue reading ‘windy days make me happy’

Anglesea, Bellarine Peninsula, coal vs renewables, energy transition, geothermal energy, renewable energy, victoria, Victorian Coalition, wave power, wind farmsLeave a comment

No new coal in Anglesea – Time to make the transition

Cam Walker

what would you prefer in your back yard – a coal mine or a wind farm? Since 1961 Alcoa has been operating a coal mine just inland from Anglesea on Victoria’s Surf Coast. The mine and attached power station provides energy for the Point Henry smelter, which produces aluminium for local use and export. Under the original 1961 lease conditions, Alcoa has an automatic option to mine the site for another 50 years, but the company is currently in negotiations with the State government about a substantial expansion of it’s open cut mine. They are seeking a license to operate … Continue reading No new coal in Anglesea – Time to make the transition

Anglesea, Bellarine Peninsula, coal vs renewables, renewable energy, victoria, Victorian Coalition, wind farmsLeave a comment

Information session on the Anglesea coal mine

Cam Walker

You may have heard the recent announcement that Alcoa is currently in negotiations with the State government about an expansion of their coal mine just inland from Anglesea. This is at the same time that the government has said it will close off the surrounding area to further wind developments. Details on the future of wind energy on the Bellarine can be found here. There is a community information day coming up on Easter Saturday. It would be great if you could attend this event – details below. It seems that the government is seeking to pick winners and losers … Continue reading Information session on the Anglesea coal mine

Alcoa, Bellarine Peninsula, renewable energy, victoria, wind farmsLeave a comment

Anglesea mine expansion fears

Cam Walker

While the Victorian government moves to close off wind development on the Bellarine and Surf Coast, they are doing nothing to halt open cut coal mining. What energy source would you prefer in your back yard? From the Geelong Advertiser, journalist Carmel Christensen. ENVIRONMENTALISTS have demanded Alcoa and the State Government come clean on any plans to expand the Anglesea coal mine into heritage-listed heathland. The two parties are currently locked in confidential negotiations that will extend the company’s lease of the power station by an additional 50 years. Alcoa spokesman Brendan Foran said with talks in progress he could … Continue reading Anglesea mine expansion fears

Bellarine Peninsula, renewable energy, victoria, Victorian Coalition, wind farm 'no go' zones, wind farms1 Comment

wind farms on the Bellarine Peninsula?

Cam Walker

The following comes from the Geelong Advertiser, journalist is Alex Johnson Just as an aside, we don’t so much call for the Bellarine to be ‘opened up’, as being concerned at the governments intention to close it down to wind operations through creating a No Go zone. There is a puzzling comment from the Planning minister at the end: who in the world is suggesting there should be ‘hundreds’ of wind farms on the Bellarine? Certainly not us, but one or two farms that are well located would be a great thing and generate green energy for the local communities. … Continue reading wind farms on the Bellarine Peninsula?