TUESDAY’S The Guardian reported on the draft 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan providing “more certainty” about the shift to renewable energy, and I commend Boort grain grower Tyler Nelson’s comment that the draft was “just a big green light to developers”.
The Allan Government simply cannot reach their targets of 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035, and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
Swan Hill residents’ lived experience is that power prices keep going up, despite the Albanese Government’s repeated spin that renewables are the “cheapest form of electricity”.
Cheapest, perhaps, if you view farmers and regional communities as bugs to crush with the boot of government power.
As Tyler Nelson implied, government will have to give the green light to foreign-owned energy cowboys to bypass social licence and rush their projects.
Victoria’s energy mix over the last 12 months relied 67 per cent coal and gas, and just 1 per cent on batteries.
It is highly fanciful for Victorian Labor to expect that inside of 10 years, we can switch to less than 5 per cent coal and gas, and 95 per cent renewables.
VicGrid’s draft map also shows offshore energy zones which form about nine gigawatts of generation from 500 offshore wind turbines.
However, Victoria is struggling to secure social licence and federal permission to build offshore wind, meaning the number of wind turbines needed onshore in regional Victoria could rise to over 2400.
Mallee itself is slated to receive around 1000 of those turbines – far from the coastline or high elevations blessed with strong wind profiles.
The Victorian Government tried to hide their previous projection that if offshore wind could not proceed, 70 per cent of Victoria’s prime agricultural land would be needed for energy projects. So what is their projection now?
I am greatly encouraged by the Queensland LNP Government axing the Midnight Ridge wind project near Rockhampton after a review found the community had not been adequately consulted.
The Nationals stand strong on giving a voice to regional Australians and readers can make their views known on the draft VicGrid plan at engage.vic.gov.au/vicgrid.
