Energy industry in sharp rebuff to forced sell-off policy

The energy industry has reacted sharply to proposals for forced sales of power company assets and government-fixed electricity prices in the wake of yet another major policy shift.

Despite the threats of forced asset divestments,
it would not be an easy task for the government.

On Monday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the quashing of federally legislated emissions reduction targets within the NEG, saying the government would pivot to implement recommendations from a recent Australian Competition and Consumer Commission electricity investigation to reduce high power costs as a higher priority.

Read the story from The Age Cole Latimer and Peter Hannam  - “Energy industry in sharp rebuff to forced sell-off policy.”

Solar concerns aired

Drama around four solar farm applications in Greater Shepparton was heard in Victoria’s upper house for a second time last week, where an Opposition MP asked whether communities were being disadvantaged by the proposals being ‘‘test cases’’.

A planning panel hearing into four solar proposals for the Greater Shepparton area had its final day yesterday.

State Member for northern Victoria, Liuke O'Sullivan.

Across five sitting days, it heard from landholders, objectors, water authorities, planning experts, Greater Shepparton City Council and the solar developers.

In Parliament on Wednesday, State Member for Northern Victoria Luke O’Sullivan asked Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford whether Agriculture Victoria would have meaningful input into the development of guidelines to protect high-value irrigated agricultural land.

He also asked what involvement Agriculture Victoria had in the development of guidelines to date.

Ms Pulford said the state’s planning minister was leading the work and that Agriculture Victoria was being consulted in the development of the guidelines.

In a separate question to Ms Pulford, Mr O’Sullivan said the solar developments were ‘‘causing angst among communities in the Goulburn Valley’’, and asked ‘‘what is the government’s policy in relation to the protection of high-value agricultural land from solar developments?’’

‘‘The farming communities of Tatura, Lemnos, Congupna and Tallygaroopna are concerned that they could lose more than 500 hectares of irrigated land because they are the test case and their matters are to be decided by the government prior to the development of the guidelines,’’ Mr O’Sullivan said.

‘‘What actions is the government taking to ensure the farming communities of Tatura, Lemnos, Congupna and Tallygaroopna are not being treated unfairly simply because they are one of the first communities to deal with this issue?’’.

The minister took the question on notice and said she would ‘‘pass it to the minister in the other place’’.

The panel had previously been urged by several submitters on the need for a clear set of guidelines around solar farm proposals to be developed.

The proceedings follow Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s office calling in the four proposals after the council had requested their outcome be determined by the minister’s office; an outcome the council had welcomed as ‘’sensible’’.

The panel is also set to be providing advice to the energy minister about how future solar farm applications will be assessed in Victoria, the News understands.

The applications constitute hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs and the projects are estimated to produce hundreds of megawatts of power.

But there are concerns about the best use of prime agricultural land and fears large-scale solar farms could have an impact on nearby farming practices.

Following recommendations being handed down by the panel, the minister can approve, reject or green light the permits, with conditions attached.

Story from the Shepparton News - “Solar concerns aired.”

Cape York property with tree-clearing plans given part of $4m reef funding

A property in Queensland with one of the biggest tree-clearing proposals in Australia, and which is specifically identified by experts as a risk to Great Barrier Reef water quality, is one of the beneficiaries of a $4m federal government reef water quality program.

The east coast of Cape York peninsula, where coastal waters are
 protected as part of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Site. 

Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Andrew Picone said that it showed the federal government “isn’t taking its reef commitments seriously” since the proposed clearing would exacerbate the very problem the funding is meant to mitigate.

“At face value it seems inappropriate that we’re spending money on water quality improvement measures on a property where the landholder is wanting to clear 30,000 hectares in a reef catchment,” Picone said.

Read Michael Slezak’s story from The Guardian - “Cape York property with tree-clearing plans given part of $4m reef funding.”

Council backs solar farms.

Councillors are celebrating a ‘‘solar city’’ return with more than $300 million and 200 megawatts of proposals across five solar farm projects being considered for Greater Shepparton.

The council on Tuesday night voted for its chief executive to request Victoria’s planning minister decide on the solar farm planning applications in Greater Shepparton.

The council also resolved to invite the minister to establish a process that provides a fair and proper opportunity for all affected stakeholders to be heard.

Background to this week’s meeting detailed that if future applications are lodged, officers propose to also refer those applications to the minister for a decision.

Five solar farm proposals — located in Tatura East, Tallygaroopna, Lemnos, Congupna and Mooroopna — have been detailed by the council in background to the meeting.

These projects would produce an estimated output of 217 megawatts and cost a total $316 million, according to council projections.

The council’s main concern with the applications is ‘‘whether the loss of productive agricultural land . . . for a solar farm produces acceptable planning outcomes’’.

Officers would need to consider conflicting policies and decide on net benefit, considered a difficult task.

‘‘Officers consider that the most efficient method of determining these solar farm applications . . . is to request (the minister) become the decision maker,’’ the report continues.

If agreed, it would ensure decisions were determined faster.

Background also refers to a sixth solar farm application, totalling 100 megawatts and worth $150 million, as being expected in about six months.

In moving the motion to refer the proposals on to the minister, Cr Dinny Adem stressed the ‘‘1000 percent’’ support for solar farms from the council and cited the potential for applicants to get tied up in processes.

Cr Chris Hazelman agreed it was appropriate to refer the items on for government assistance in helping determine such applications.

‘‘This is really the tip of the iceberg,’’ Cr Bruce Giovanetti said, referring to renewable energy targets, predicting ‘‘huge development in this area’’.

Cr Fern Summer moved an amendment to ensure the council also helped develop a strategy to balance the existing prime agricultural land use with large-scale renewable energy applications but did not receive support.

Following the meeting, Mayor Kim O’Keeffe spruiked the ‘‘significant investment’’ forthcoming from the proposals, which presented a valuable opportunity for the city.

Background to the meeting emphasised the motion carried by the council did not remove the opportunity of objectors to two of the projects to be heard.

Story by Thomas  Moir in the Shepparton News - “Council backs solar farms.”

'Solar boom' can be heard around Goulburn Valley

The solar boom can really be heard around the Goulburn Valley with a story in today’s Country News in the Shepparton News telling readers more about plans for major solar farms in the district.

The story in today's Country News.

Rodney Woods tells his readers of two new solar farm proposals at Glenrowan and near Cohuna.

“They further enhance northern Victoria’s status as a sun-drenched region,” he reports.

“The Glenrowan proposal by ENSO Pacific, if successful, will cost over $170 million and see 245 ha of private land replaced by 360 000 solar panels that will generate 120 MW.

“The second proposal, by Leeson Group, is set for Horfield (8km south of Cohuna).

“It will cost $45.5 million, cover 82 ha pop a 128 ha property (with the best retained for farming)  and will generate enough from 104 00 panels to power 8000 homes,” Woods reported.

What should we praise and what should we protest at Paris?

W

hich proposals should we praise, and which should we protest?

Read some more in the New Internationalist story - “What's on the table at Paris?”