Victoria’s energy policy needs clear thinking

Media Release, Rob Clancy, Manager - Media & Community Relations
Tuesday 14th November 2006:

Claims by the Victorian Opposition Leader, Ted Baillieu, that a proposed desalination plant could be powered by renewable energy highlight a major conflict in his own energy, climate change and water policies.

The Australian Wind Energy Association (Auswind) welcomes the concept of powering desalination plants with wind energy but warns that no new renewable energy facilities will be built in Victoria, regardless of any desalination plant, if the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) scheme is repealed, as the State Opposition has pledged to do.

“The Opposition Leader plans to repeal the VRET. The fact is that without VRET or some other mechanism that recognises the real cost of carbon emissions, there will be no new wind farms in Victoria. It’s as simple as that,” said Auswind CEO, Dominique La Fontaine.

“A desalination plant uses an enormous amount of electricity, which could be either sourced from the national power grid or direct from a purpose-built renewable energy facility such as a wind farm. Either way, to power a desalination plant with wind energy will require new wind farms and that won’t happen without VRET.”

“Mr. Baillieu is trying to have two bob each way if he believes he could build a wind farm specifically to power the desalination plant but then pulls the plug on existing legislation that supports renewable energy development.”

It is only forward-thinking schemes like VRET and the new NRET in NSW that are keeping renewable energy alive in Australia, because of the huge competitive advantages enjoyed by the coal industry.

Auswind is calling on all governments, state and federal, to follow the lead of much of Europe, the USA, Canada, China and India and legislate for significant proportions of their electricity production to be from renewable sources.

“We have some of the best wind resources in the world and investors just waiting for the right signals to make us a leader in renewable energy. Australia needs forward thinking and a cohesive set of energy, climate change and water policies not short-term responses to serious issues,” said Ms. La Fontaine.