❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Energy regarding renewable energy targets in the South West Interconnected System, specifically seeking information on current renewable energy usage and government plans to meet federal targets. The Minister's response outlines current figures and defers responsibility for meeting targets to electricity businesses.
AnsweredQoN 1242Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SOUTH WEST INTERCONNECTED SYSTEM —
RENEWABLE ENERGY
1242. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Leader of the
House representing the Minister for Energy:
(1) What
percentage of the electricity consumed in the south west interconnected system
comes from large-scale renewable sources, and how much is this in gigawatt
hours?
(2) What does the
state government plan to do to increase this figure to equate to 20 per cent of
our electricity by 2020, as required by the federal renewable energy target
legislation?
(3) Will the
state government commit to creating the infrastructure to generate 20 per cent
of Western Australia's electricity by 2020 within the state, to avoid a
situation in which Synergy and Horizon Power will have to purchase large-scale
renewable energy certificates from the eastern states or else incur a financial
penalty?
RENEWABLE ENERGY
1242. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Leader of the
House representing the Minister for Energy:
(1) What
percentage of the electricity consumed in the south west interconnected system
comes from large-scale renewable sources, and how much is this in gigawatt
hours?
(2) What does the
state government plan to do to increase this figure to equate to 20 per cent of
our electricity by 2020, as required by the federal renewable energy target
legislation?
(3) Will the
state government commit to creating the infrastructure to generate 20 per cent
of Western Australia's electricity by 2020 within the state, to avoid a
situation in which Synergy and Horizon Power will have to purchase large-scale
renewable energy certificates from the eastern states or else incur a financial
penalty?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) In 2014,
9.3 per cent, or 1 713 gigawatt hours, of total electricity production in the
south west interconnected system was supplied by large-scale renewable energy
generating facilities.
(2) Meeting
commonwealth government's renewable energy target obligations is a
commercial matter for electricity businesses. The minister has reiterated with
electricity businesses the requirements to meet the renewable energy target.
(3) Planning,
construction and maintenance of network infrastructure used to facilitate the
connection and operation of renewable electricity generation in the south west
interconnected system is the responsibility of Western Power in accordance with
the regulatory requirements for network investment under the Electricity
Networks Access Code 2004. The government has made significant investment in
the network; for example, $406 million in the Mid West Energy Project.
For Horizon Power, infrastructure investments
necessary to meet obligations under the commonwealth government's
renewable energy target are a matter to be determined by the business in
accordance with commercial principles.
question.
(1) In 2014,
9.3 per cent, or 1 713 gigawatt hours, of total electricity production in the
south west interconnected system was supplied by large-scale renewable energy
generating facilities.
(2) Meeting
commonwealth government's renewable energy target obligations is a
commercial matter for electricity businesses. The minister has reiterated with
electricity businesses the requirements to meet the renewable energy target.
(3) Planning,
construction and maintenance of network infrastructure used to facilitate the
connection and operation of renewable electricity generation in the south west
interconnected system is the responsibility of Western Power in accordance with
the regulatory requirements for network investment under the Electricity
Networks Access Code 2004. The government has made significant investment in
the network; for example, $406 million in the Mid West Energy Project.
For Horizon Power, infrastructure investments
necessary to meet obligations under the commonwealth government's
renewable energy target are a matter to be determined by the business in
accordance with commercial principles.
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