Wind farms halted as help dries up
The Age| Nassim Khadem|May 12, 2006
WIND farm developments in Tasmania and South Australia worth $550 million have been halted because the Federal Government will not increase incentives for energy retailers to invest in wind energy.
WIND farm developments in Tasmania and South Australia worth $550 million have been halted because the Federal Government will not increase incentives for energy retailers to invest in wind energy.
Mark Kelleher, managing director of wind power venture Roaring 40s, said it had suspended two big projects because the Government refused to extend the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. The scheme encourages electricity suppliers to invest in renewable energy and is almost fully subscribed.
Mr Kelleher said unless the scheme was extended, or a similar one introduced, the wind industry was doomed.
Roaring 40s had suspended its $300 million Heemskirk wind farm project on the west coast of Tasmania and the $250 million Waterloo wind farm 100 kilometres north of Adelaide.
Mr Kelleher said plans for another 10 projects also had been stopped.
Roaring 40s, a joint venture of Hydro Tasmania and Hong Kong's CLP Group, operates three wind farms in …
Mark Kelleher, managing director of wind power venture Roaring 40s, said it had suspended two big projects because the Government refused to extend the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. The scheme encourages electricity suppliers to invest in renewable energy and is almost fully subscribed.
Mr Kelleher said unless the scheme was extended, or a similar one introduced, the wind industry was doomed.
Roaring 40s had suspended its $300 million Heemskirk wind farm project on the west coast of Tasmania and the $250 million Waterloo wind farm 100 kilometres north of Adelaide.
Mr Kelleher said plans for another 10 projects also had been stopped.
Roaring 40s, a joint venture of Hydro Tasmania and Hong Kong's CLP Group, operates three wind farms in Australia and others overseas.
Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has refused to extend the target scheme, saying it was still not fully subscribed. Senator Campbell wants to introduce a national code giving local councils greater powers to block wind farms if there is community opposition, a move that all states have rejected.
Mr Kelleher said that unless the scheme was extended, all wind farm proposals would be scrapped. Labor environment spokesman Anthony Albanese said the Government was ignoring clean energy. "Roaring 40s announced a $300 million deal to provide three wind farms to China," he said. "They're welcome in China, but not in John Howard's Australia."