Baillieu Government Anti-Wind Stance Closes the Door on Cost Savings

Changes to the planning rules for wind energy projects introduced by the Baillieu Government will cost Victoria hundreds of jobs and billions of dollars in investment.

Beyond Zero Emissions’ Executive Director Matthew Wright says wind energy developments will reduce the cost of electricity:

“Wind provided 20 percent of South Australia’s electricity last year and delivered cheaper electricity for South Australians. When the wind is blowing it provides the cheapest source of electricity to the network and reduces the need for more expensive electricity generated by coal and gas power plants,” explains Wright.

“The Baillieu Government’s changes are a roadblock to Victorian families and businesses realising the savings that South Australians experienced in 2010.”

Matthew Wright says this government is shutting the door on a multi-billion dollar industry due to its ideological attachment to outdated energy sources:

“The growth in wind energy globally is astounding and is a key driver of the renewable energy boom. Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts investment in renewable energy to overtake investment in fossil fuels and nuclear combined in the next two years. The Baillieu Government’s wind energy policy represents a strategically bad decision that will hurt the Victorian economy.”

“With renewable energy sources such as wind rapidly coming down the cost curve, there is a massive global shift to wind power by countries wanting to get out of 19th Century fossil fuel energy infrastructure. In Brazil, wind is now cheaper than gas, and as gas prices in Australia will soon be aligned with global markets due to the massive LNG exports expansion, this will soon be the case in Australia as well."

Matthew Wright adds:

“These changes are driven by an ideological opposition to renewable energy not a regard for public health. The NHRC have stated unambiguously that there is no evidence of adverse health impacts from wind, whereas the health impacts of coal are indisputable and extremely serious.”

“It’s ironic that the Baillieu government will allow wind projects to be blocked, while doing nothing to protect children who attend primary school a mere 800 metres from a proposed brown coal power plant and mine expansion in Angelsea.”