Second round of ACT wind auction under way
In July, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Minister for the Environment Simon Corbell announced a second round of its successful reverse auction for wind farms. Like round one, it is a 200 megawatt reverse auction. The Request for Proposals (RFP) period for the reverse auction is open until 4pm on 30 September, and projects of up to 100 megawatts can apply. Read more
Australian Senate Select Committee on Wind Turbines – final report
A Senate Select Committee in Australia was set up months ago to examine wind turbines, and the final report was released in August - download here.
This inquiry was a long and hostile one, and the dissenting report (attached to the majority report) tells a very different story.
The Clean Energy Council and our wind members have met with representatives of the Federal Department of the Environment to discuss the implementation of some of the new initiatives. We have been assured that there will be no changes to the Renewable Energy Target legislation. Additionally, state governments have indicated to the Federal Government that they will not adopt a national wind farm planning guideline.
The Department of the Environment will create a new Wind Farm Commissioner, whose appointment will be announced soon. The new commissioner is expected to have limited legal recourse but will instead act as an independent listening post for the community and the industry. The Australian wind industry looks forward to working with this new person.
Clean Energy Australia Report 2014
The Clean Energy Council launched its annual flagship publication the Clean Energy Australia Report in June. http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cleanenergyaustralia
The report detailed the amount of clean energy generation, employment and investment over the 2014 calendar year, including the headline number that 13.47 per cent of Australia's electricity came from renewable sources.
Download the report and infographic from www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cleanenergyaustralia
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton with the Clean Energy Australia Report
