Expert says plan now for windfall

Adelaide Advertiser
Tuesday 5/5/2009 Page: 39

THE State Government should start infrastructure spending to increase its capacity for wind energy, a visiting international wind expert has said. Speaking at the International Wind Energy Conference in Adelaide last week, Marc-Antoine Renaud from the German based World Wind Energy Association said the financial downturn was an opportune moment to expand South Australia's grid capabilities.

"The Government must invest heavily in grid connections and this must be done at the moment with the economic turmoil because all governments are coming up with infrastructure packages and this is infrastructure that could be deployed readily," he said. "It is the same concept as building roads."

However, State Environment Minister Jay Weatherill said there was doubt over the potential for new windfarms in the state. "Over the last six years in South Australia we have really become a leader in the deployment of renewable energy but it is also true that we are facing an uncertain future," he said.

"Investment in other states is looking more and more attractive ... it does raise the question as to whether this beautiful friendship between South Australia and wind energy is going to continue." "It is possible we have taken wind energy as far as we can go in South Australia, at least in the short to medium term."