Category: O’Farrell Government

Abbott Government, Baillieu Government, Labor, Liberal Party, NSW Labor Party, O'Farrell Government, renewable energy, Renewable Energy Target, Solar Energy, Solar PV, South Australia, Tasmania, The Coalition, Tony Abbott, victoria, Victorian Coalition, Victorian Labor Party, Wind EnergyLeave a comment

Labor’s victory in SA offers hope for a little energy sanity

andrewr

renewable energy 2

Originally posted at Renew Economy. View the original post here. 

The surprise return of the Labor government in South Australia means that the book is not entirely closed on Australia’s mainland for renewable energy.

Indeed, while the broad thrust of national renewable energy policy will be directed by the Abbott government, the return of the Jay Weatherill Labor government in Adelaide, the election of Mike Hodgman in Tasmania, and the ambition of the ACT Labor government means that there are some counters to the apparently ideologically-driven opposition to renewables in the Federal government.

As RenewEconomy has noted before, it is not by accident that the three states and territories most supportive of renewable energy in Australia are those with no, or relative weak, fossil fuel interests.

Continue reading “Labor’s victory in SA offers hope for a little energy sanity”

#NSWpol, Anti-wind farm campaigning, Coal Seam Gas, community support for windfarms, Fossil Fuels, gas vs renewables, NSW, O'Farrell Government, Planning approval process, Policy Watch, Wind EnergyLeave a comment

Policy Watch: NSW govt imposes ‘red tape’ on wind farms

Leigh Ewbank
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NSW Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard

NSW Planning and Infrastructure Minister Brad Hazzard has directed that nine wind farm projects now be considered as State Significant Developments instead of being dealt with under the Part 3A transitional provisions that are a legacy from Labor’s time in office. This decision effectively places them back in the planning system.

The wind farms affected by the NSW government’s reactionary decision are:

  1. Yass
  2. Crookwell
  3. Liverpool Range
  4. Rugby
  5. Bango
  6. Uungula
  7. Crudine Ridge
  8. Paling Yards
  9. and Rye Park

It seems that NSW has joined the Victorian government in privileging a minority of vocal anti-wind campaigners over the majority of the community, who continue to support renewable energy. The previous planning system struck a sensible balance in decision making.

“The NSW government has sown the seeds of community division by reopening the planning process for these wind farms,” Yes 2 Renewables told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“A noisy minority refuse to accept wind energy and make unsubstantiated claims the technology has health impacts. This decision looks like a capitulation to those elements.” Continue reading “Policy Watch: NSW govt imposes ‘red tape’ on wind farms”

#Auspol, Baillieu Government, climate change, community support for windfarms, Napthine Government, NSW, O'Farrell Government, Policy Watch, South Australia, Tony Abbott, VC82, Victorian Coalition, Wind Farm Benefits5 Comments

Policy Watch: O’Farrell govt renewables plan provides model for Napthine

Leigh Ewbank

camFriends of the Earth campaigns coordinator and prominent Australian environmentalist, Cam Walker, says it’s time for the Napthine government to follow the lead of their counterparts in NSW:

Tony Abbott has wasted no time in cutting into climate change programs, including reaffirming earlier commitments to kill off the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which supports the development of renewable energy projects.

This makes the Victorian government’s anti-wind energy stance even more worrying. The creation of arbitrary ‘no go’ zones across much of the state has effectively stopped new wind projects being brought forward. South Australia has been the main beneficiary of this policy, with wind investment moving west. Continue reading “Policy Watch: O’Farrell govt renewables plan provides model for Napthine”

Mildura, north western Victoria, NSW, O'Farrell Government, Solar Energy, Solar PVLeave a comment

NSW moves on big solar while Victoria lags behind

Leigh Ewbank

The following post is by Yes 2 Renewables volunteer, Jasmine Coghetto:

The NSW Government has approved a pioneering solar power station in Broken Hill and will invest $64.9 million in the project. Victoria’s northern neighbour is leaving the state in the dust as it moves ahead with big solar projects.

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The 50-megawatt Broken Hill solar project will install 650,000 photovoltaic modules five kilometres from the remote regional town. It will generate 125,000 MWh of electricity every year, meeting the needs of around 17,000 NSW households. Over 110,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions will be avoided each year—the equivalent of removing 31,000 cars from the road.

Clean, zero-carbon electricity isn’t the only benefit of the Broken Hill plant.  The project will make a significant contribution to regional job creation and economic development. Up to 150 direct, local construction jobs will be generated during the 17-month construction period.

In contrast to its neighbour, Victoria is lagging behind when it comes to big solar projects. Even though there has been some progress toward renewables, this achievement cannot be compared to the step taken by NSW. Continue reading “NSW moves on big solar while Victoria lags behind”

Collector Wind Farm, NSW, NSW Labor Party, O'Farrell GovernmentLeave a comment

Australian Energy Market Operator Report: Wind Energy Best Option for NSW

Leigh Ewbank

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) have released a new report identifying wind power as the best option for New South Wales to meet it future power needs.

Anna Patty reports for the Sydney Morning Herald: Continue reading “Australian Energy Market Operator Report: Wind Energy Best Option for NSW”