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Jobs at risk from renewable energy target changes
Matthew Doran reported this story on Saturday, August 23, 2014 08:17:54
ELIZABETH JACKSON: A green energy analyst says any changes to the Renewable Energy Target, which is currently under Federal Government review, will affect far more than the environmental sector in Australia.
It’s estimated that more than 20,000 people are employed in a variety of roles across the renewable industry sector, from construction to research and development.
But the ongoing uncertainty is spooking a growing number of developers.
From Adelaide, Matthew Doran reports.
MATTHEW DORAN: Speculation surrounding the future of the Renewable Energy Target is making green developers across Australia nervous.
This week Silex dumped plans to build a 100 megawatt solar plant at Mildura.
Last month Pacific Hydro shelved $500 million of investment, including a 42-turbine wind farm north-east of Adelaide.
Wasim Saman is a professor of sustainable energy engineering at the University of South Australia.
He says the uncertainty is putting many jobs at risk.
WASIM SAMAN: There are many hundreds of jobs which are now serving the sector and many businesses, particularly small businesses around the country which are installing systems.
Some international companies are already talking about Australia deciding to put a halt on development in renewable, which is certainly not going to bring us more jobs and development in this country.
KANE THORNTON: The industry today employs over 21,000 people and these people rely on the Renewable Energy Target. So if it was to be slashed then, you know, certainly a portion of those people would be looking at being unemployed.
MATTHEW DORAN: Kane Thornton is the acting director of the Clean Energy Council.
He says around 15 per cent of the nation’s power is now produced by renewable energy, but that will plateau if changes are made to the RET.
KANE THORNTON: There are literally hundreds of really exciting renewable energy projects right around the country that are basically ready to go ahead, but they will only go ahead with the certainty about the future of the Renewable Energy Target.
MATTHEW DORAN: Projects like the $1.5 billion, 197-turbine Ceres wind farm on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.
South Australia already has half the nation’s wind turbines and Senvion Australia wants to build the largest wind farm in the country.
The company’s managing director Chris Judd says many investors are uneasy about backing projects because they don’t know if they’ll be sound investments if the RET is reduced or scrapped.
CHRIS JUDD: Either is devastating for the industry in terms of valuation of built renewable energy infrastructure, or the capacity to be able to finance and have a revenue stream that would warrant new capacity to be built.
But we are of the view that sense will prevail; the data will be acknowledged and recognised and the interests of the people will be respected and the RET will remain untouched.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Senvion Australia’s Chris Judd ending that report from Matthew Doran in South Australia.