Australia is currently in the midst of a race to build as much renewable energy as possible to fill the gap its retiring coal-fired power plants are leaving. We need to pick up the pace if we’re going to win that race.
🤨 Part of the problem: Opposition to renewable energy projects from people living hundreds of kilometres away, or in different states, is slowing down and stopping development.
🫡 The rules: In New South Wales, a renewable energy project with over 50 objections lodged requires the independent planning commission to head to the community where the project is being proposed and hold a public meeting to thrash out the issues.
☀️ The solar farm: In New England, the planning commission cancelled its public meeting for a proposed solar farm after only one of the 128 objectors registered to attend the meeting.
Of those objections, seven were from interstate while 88 were from over 50 kilometres away.
🔋The battery: In July a battery project in Homebush, Sydney, proposed next to an existing sub-station received 59 objections.
Nineteen were from interstate, a further 18 were from two small towns over 800 kilometres away from Sydney.
One submission expressed concerns about farm land, despite the site for the proposed battery being 15km from the Sydney CBD, next to the M4 Western freeway.
🤠Queensland: Last year, Queensland Deputy Premier Jared Bleijie cancelled a $1 billion wind farm that had already been approved, pointing to 473 submissions out of more than 550 that opposed the project.
But of those 550 submissions, only 125 came from actual locals who were opposed to the project.
This means over 70 percent of the opposition was driven by out-of-towners.
☎️ Poor comms: Community engagement is key when it comes to building social licence for renewable energy projects in Australia.
The final report from a Senate Inquiry looking at climate change and energy misinformation outlined how poor communication from renewable energy companies with communities was one of the reasons electricity generation had become politicised.
The inquiry recommended the Federal Government resource engagement by local groups to help their communities understand projects being planned where they live.
Watch the National Account’s Archie Milligan below:
Thumbnail: AAP