More barriers to wind farms likely by Senate vote

weeklytimesnow.com.au

THE Senate will likely vote on the renewable energy target today.

The vote, scheduled for Thursday, was delayed by last-minute negotiations between the Government and crossbenchers to further control wind farms.

The RET is critical to investment in more renewable energy power in Australia and political debate has caused long delays to projects ready to be built in Victoria.

Wind farms worth almost $5 billion are poised to go in Victoria.

Thirteen projects with 854 turbines have won municipal council and State Government support.

Wind farm developments near Mortlake, Ballarat, Ararat, Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Ballan, Colac and St Arnaud can begin the moment the Federal Government signs off on the RET.

Energy companies have said turbines could be built within two years of the RET getting the green light.

There are concerns the Federal Government will introduced new rules with its RET to reflect Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s personal dislike of turbines.

He said on Wednesday that wind turbines were “visually awful”.

Both the ALP and the Government now support the introduction of a 33,000 GWh RET, which is much less than wind farm supporters originally wanted.

Read more of this article

You may also like...