THE Shire of Gannawarra is rapidly gaining a status as a renewable energy trail-blazer.
North-western Victoria has been identified as a hub for solar power development and Gannawarra Shire Council has taken a strategic leadership role in attracting renewable energy investment.
Gannawarra mayor, Cr Brian Gibson told a renewable energy workshop at Kerang that council had adopted a strategy a number of years ago to seek solar power investment and was now working with neighbouring Swan Hill and Mildura municipalities.
Proposed projects across the north-west have the opportunity to generate up to 2500 megawatts of electricity.
Cr Gibson said that there were 10 solar generation projects planned within the shire, with five already approved and one currently being assessed.
“These projects have the support of the community,” he said.
Victoria’s first large-scale solar generation plant is now under construction adjacent to the Kerang-Lalbert Road, about nine kilometres west of Kerang. The first of two approved stages is being built at a cost of $80 million for Edify Energy.
Other projects are being planned for Kerang’s southern outskirts, Macorna North and Horfield.
Cr Gibson said that developers were facing a “significant hurdle” in gaining network connection, but the three councils were working together to overcome such obstacles.
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning regional director, Marg Allan told the workshop that Gannawarra was in the centre of the Loddon-Mallee Region and she said that she welcomed the opportunity for the department and councils to learn and work together.
“We have a mantra of putting the community at the centre,” she said.
Ms Allan said that Germany – which was not blessed with sunshine like Kerang – already had 40 per cent renewable energy, most owned by communities, Denmark was selling overseas, including an island community that had 115 per cent renewables, and Sweden was importing waste to generate power.
Victorian Renewable Energy Advocate, Simon Corbell, was unable to attend, but said in a video message that there was unprecedented interest in a renewable energy market.
The Victorian Government has adopted a renewable energy target of 25 per cent by 2020 and 40 per cent by 2025, which would mean 5000 megawatts of renewable energy generation.
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning director of new energy technologies, Matt Dickie said that the Victorian Government had adopted a reverse option bidding process to encourage investment with an emphasis on regional development and employment with reputable firms.
The competitive reverse auction will be the biggest of its kind in Australia, as corporations tender for the contracts to power 389,000 households. This is expected to trigger investment of about $1.3 billion in renewable projects, including development of electricity battery storage technology.
The department’s manager for new energy technologies, Julian Hales said that the government was keen to create local business opportunities.
The Kerang workshop and another at Bendigo the previous day were the first time that government, community, business and research have come together regionally to discuss the renewable energy topic.
