A $150 million wind farm southwest of Cairns is in jeopardy as the Federal Government is reportedly planning dramatic cuts to the Renewable Energy Target scheme.
A $150 million wind farm southwest of Cairns is in jeopardy as the Federal Government is reportedly planning dramatic cuts to the Renewable Energy Target scheme.
A $150 million wind farm southwest of Cairns is in jeopardy as the Federal Government is reportedly planning dramatic cuts to the Renewable Energy Target scheme.
Infigen Energy senior development manager Frank Boland told The Weekend Post it had placed the project, which was ready to go, in doubt.
Mr Boland said the farm, with 30 turbines near Forsayth, was set to start and would employ 100 people during 12 to 18 months of construction, as well as eight once operational.
But he said moves by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and senior cabinet ministers to cut back RET meant Infigen would not be able to provide target figures to buyers of its power, such as Ergon Energy, Origin or a mining company.
“Our Forsayth wind farm is now fully …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]A $150 million wind farm southwest of Cairns is in jeopardy as the Federal Government is reportedly planning dramatic cuts to the Renewable Energy Target scheme.
Infigen Energy senior development manager Frank Boland told The Weekend Post it had placed the project, which was ready to go, in doubt.
Mr Boland said the farm, with 30 turbines near Forsayth, was set to start and would employ 100 people during 12 to 18 months of construction, as well as eight once operational.
But he said moves by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and senior cabinet ministers to cut back RET meant Infigen would not be able to provide target figures to buyers of its power, such as Ergon Energy, Origin or a mining company.
“Our Forsayth wind farm is now fully permitted and is close to being shovel ready,’’ he said.
“We are awaiting market confidence to be restored so that there is a stimulus to attract long-term contracts for new projects. The project is well positioned to proceed to construction following a favourable outcome in the RET review.”
Mr Boland said it was very frustrating, as the project was close to starting.
He said the company was nearing agreement with Ergon to connect to the main power grid and supply electricity to a buyer but could not negotiate with potential buyers while doubts remained over RET.
Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch, who supports the project, said he would start lobbying in Canberra next week to get Mr Abbott and other MPs to change their minds.
Mr Entsch said, while he was against the carbon tax, he wanted RET to remain.
“I am very strongly supportive of RET,” he said. “I have spoken to (Environment Minister) Greg Hunt’s office. We need not just wind farms but solar energy, as well.”
Infigen managing director Miles George said the Government had broken an election promise.
“The reported intentions of Mr Abbott amount to economic vandalism, pandering to the climate sceptic minority and represents a total misread of community aspirations,’’ he said. “Work undertaken by the review panel showed that if the scheme was cut back or scrapped, electricity consumers would be worse off.’’