Snowtown wind farm operator Trustpower fears federal RET cut
One of Australia's biggest wind farm operators says investment in the sector will be threatened if the Renewable Energy Target (RET) is cut substantially.
Stage two of the nation's second-largest wind farm was officially opened in South Australia on Sunday at a time when the Federal Government is keen to scale back the RET.
There are now 137 turbines dotting the Barunga and Hummocks Ranges across almost 30 kilometres of the state's mid-north and capable of generating enough power for 180,000 properties.
The turbines are on the properties of 24 local landowners.
The wind farm's operator Trustpower is worried future investments across Australia is under threat because the Federal Government is keen to scale back the legislated RET.
The Government said it wanted a target of 20 per cent by 2020, but the Opposition said that would be a 40 per cent reduction of what was currently legislated.
Vince Hawksworth of Trustpower said any reduction would be a blow for the renewable energy sector.
"The industry would shrivel, the intellectual property would be lost, international investment wouldn't hang around," he said.
Snowtown expansion supports SA energy target
The Snowtown wind farm will help South Australia reach a state goal of having 50 per cent of its electricity generated by renewable energy by 2025.
But Premier Jay Weatherill said that might not happen if the federal RET were cut significantly.
"Projects like this would cease to be viable and will cease to operate, so it's not just about new wind farms, it's about the ongoing future of existing wind farms," he said.
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt said he was hopeful the Government could strike a compromise deal with the Opposition.
"I remain hopeful that we can get a balanced agreement which allows for good growth in the renewables sector but without pressures on electricity prices," he said.
Labor's environment spokesman Mark Butler said the Opposition would not accept any watering down of the RET but remained keen to reach an agreement.
"The only way to get investment back on track is with an agreement between the two major parties," he said.
The South Australian Government said other energy projects such as the $1.5 billion Ceres wind farm project on Yorke Peninsula would be adversely affected if the federal RET were cut.
