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Wind energy = Jobs & Investment in Southwest Victoria

May 1, 2013May 16, 2013 Leigh Ewbank

Ad for Facebook — Click to sign our petition and build momentum for restoring fair wind farm planning laws.

Yesterday, Yes 2 Renewables joined a powerful alliance of groups to send Premier Denis Napthine a message on wind energy.

Groups representing wind workers and community members hand delivered a joint statement to the Premier’s electorate office in Warrnambool. The joint statement called for Dr Napthine to rewrite anti-wind farm planning laws and unlock jobs in southwest Victoria.

Several media outlets reported on the joint statement:

The Premier’s demonstrated support for the wind energy sector by opening the Marcarthur wind farm. Yes 2 Renewables encourage Dr Napthine to take the next step and restore fair laws for wind farms.

Yes 2 Renewables and our partners eagerly await a formal response from the Premier. Rest assured, we’ll let you know when he responds. Continue reading “Wind energy = Jobs & Investment in Southwest Victoria”

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Pro-wind energy groups call for Premier to rewrite wind farm laws, unlock jobs

April 30, 2013May 8, 2013 Leigh Ewbank

Just three weeks after Premier Napthine opened the Macarthur wind farm, a coalition of southwest Victorian and supporting groups have released a joint statement calling on the Premier to rewrite anti-wind farm planning laws and unlock jobs in southwest Victoria.

The joint statement will be hand delivered to staff at Premier Napthine’s electorate office this morning.

The powerful coalition of pro-wind energy voices who spearheaded the joint statement include:

Victoria’s primary wind turbine tower manufacturer, Keppel Prince Engineering of Portland
The region’s labour organisation, South West Trades and Labour Council
Sustainability groups, Portland Sustainability Group and South West Environmental Action Group
The Victorian Wind Alliance (VicWind), and
Friends of the Earth’s Yes 2 Renewables campaign.

Dozens of employed and recently retrenched wind workers have thrown their weight behind the joint statement and made a virtual appearance at the electorate office. Continue reading “Pro-wind energy groups call for Premier to rewrite wind farm laws, unlock jobs”

Baillieu Government, Macarthur Wind Farm, Pollie Watch, Warrnambool, Wind Energy Mythbusting, wind farms, wind farms & property value4 Comments

Pollie Watch: Greens MP counters claims wind farms reduce land value

February 27, 2013March 4, 2013 Leigh Ewbank

It’s has been a while since we posted our last Pollie Watch blog… Thanks to Greens Member of the Legislative Council, Greg Barber, the wait is over.

Anti-wind farm campaigners have made a lot of noise in recent weeks about wind farms and property values. Activists have claimed the presence of a wind farm deflates the value of property and land. The story emerged after South Gippsland Shire reduced the rates of a single property owner living near a wind farm.

So what’s really going on with wind farms and land value? What does the evidence tell us about property prices near wind farms?

In 2009, the NSW Valuer General assessed 45 property sales within a 10km radius of eight wind farm sites in NSW. It found wind farms do not appear to negatively affect property values. No reductions in sale price were observed for rural properties located in nearby townships with views of the wind farm. And in Waubra, the location of one of Australia’s largest wind farms, the real estate value of residential properties has increased 10% over the last two years.

Enough from me, here’s Sean McComish’s report for The Warrnambool Standard. It features Mr Barber’s comments on wind farms and property prices: Continue reading “Pollie Watch: Greens MP counters claims wind farms reduce land value”

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‘$1.78bn wind farm investment for south-west’

July 4, 2011July 4, 2011 Cam Walker

This article comes from the Warrnambool Standard. Journalist Alexandra Weaver. $1.78bn wind farm investment for south-west CORANGAMITE MP Darren Cheeseman has described the renewable energy industry as the south-west’s most important jobs and investment driver. His comments follow a new investment statement from Union Fenosa Wind Australia that reveals the company is planning to spend $1.78 billion on local wind farms. Its projects are tipped to create 650 construction jobs and 83 ongoing positions within the region once complete and will have a total generation capacity of 904 megawatts. Three of the five sites, Berrybank, Hawkesdale and Ryan Corner near … Continue reading ‘$1.78bn wind farm investment for south-west’

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State government confirms double standard for residents near energy projects

June 8, 2011 Cam Walker

June 8, 2011 media release Friends of the Earth State government confirms double standard for residents near energy projects Environmental group Friends of the Earth has expressed disappointment at statements by Planning Minister Matthew Guy and Regional Cities Minister Denis Napthine, who have confirmed that the State government intends to enact a double standard for decision making on energy infrastructure. Speaking yesterday, they confirmed that the exclusion zone that will be applied to residences near wind turbines will not apply in the case of the Tarrone gas fired power station, which is planned for western Victoria. Speaking after a planning … Continue reading State government confirms double standard for residents near energy projects

AGL, Glenthompson wind farm, Macarthur Wind Farm, renewable energy, renewables & employment, Vestas, victoria, Warrnambool, wind farmsLeave a comment

Macarthur and Glenthompson projects to deliver 600 jobs

March 7, 2011March 7, 2011 Cam Walker

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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Setting price will create ‘34,000 jobs’

February 28, 2011 Cam Walker

From The Age, Adam Morton. Some key quotes: The new jobs would be concentrated in the state’s Western District, central highlands and the Mallee. More than 1500 jobs created in wind and geothermal energy in the south-west around Warrnambool, Portland and Hamilton. ■ Nearly 1200 new jobs relating to building and running large-scale solar plants in the Mallee. ■ About 600 new jobs in wind in the central highlands around Ballarat and Bendigo. Setting price will create ‘34,000 jobs’ February 28, 2011 A CARBON price aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2020 could help create … Continue reading Setting price will create ‘34,000 jobs’