WINDS OF CHANGE BLOW THROUGH VICTORIA'S SOUTH WEST
Friday, 22 July 2011 00:44
Climate Change Minister Greg Combet will visit Geelong tomorrow to meet with top renewable energy executives delivering projects worth billions of dollars in local capital investment across South West Victoria.
The meeting will be the first roundtable with renewable energy business sector since the announcement of the carbon pollution reduction package.
Federal MP, Darren Cheeseman, said South West Victoria was at the centre of Australia clean energy future, and the early meeting with the Minister and the local renewable energy business sector demonstrated the importance of the region to this industry nationally.
“We have a group of executives meeting with the Minister who are jointly investing well in excess of three billion dollars in this region. Just one company is creating over 800 construction jobs, with eighty ongoing trades maintenance jobs and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Darren Cheeseman said.
“These four companies that the Minister is meeting with have the ability to power over one million homes and there are many other companies who are investing in renewable energy in south west Victoria, so the total figure is well above the one million homes mark.”
“No other new industry promises so much in terms of building and construction and research jobs. We are right at the centre of Australia’s clean energy future with a huge wind energy corridor above ground and a massive geothermal energy source below ground,” Darren Cheeseman said.
Attendees at the meeting include representatives from both the wind generation industry, wind industry operations, and Greenearth Energy, who are funding one of Australia’s most promising geothermal energy testing projects in Gherang in South West Victoria.
These include:
Union Fenosa. Five major south west Victorian wind energy projects. $1.8 billion of local investment. Projects capable of powering 383,000 average Victorian homes.
West Wind Energy. Three major south west Victorian wind energy projects. $1.3 billion in local capital investment. Projects capable of powering 300,000 average Victorian homes.
Acciona Energy. Three major south West Victorian wind energy projects. $662 million local capital investment. Projects capable of powering 271,000 average Victorian homes.
Greenearth Energy. Developer of one of Australia’s most promising geothermal projects. $104 investment in demonstration phase. Project, fully utilised, estimated to power 100,000 average Victorian homes.
The three major wind energy companies represented at the meeting are investing a total of $3.7 billion in wind energy, with power generation capable of powering close to 1,000,000 homes. The representatives will release more details of their investment plans at the meeting and provide reaction to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Package.
Attendees are:
Union Fenosa (renewable energy generationcompany) Tobi Geiger, Managing Director and Thomas Mitchell, Contracts and Legal Manager
Acciona (renewable energy generation company) Tricia Kent, Director, and David Clarke Manager Community Relations
West Wind (renewable energy company) Phil Burn , Manager Project Development and Planning.
Suzlon (renewable energy operations company) Chief Executive Officer, Dan Hansen, and Director Sales and Marketing, Chris Judd
Greenearth Energy (Gherang geothermal project developers) Mark Miller Chief Executive Officer
For more information ring Joe Taylor (Cheeseman) 0416241653.
