❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Minister for Energy about WA's involvement in ARENA/CEFC-funded solar farm projects. The Minister acknowledges the questions, highlights WA's existing solar farm, and states that proposals will be considered on their merits, without guarantees.
AnsweredQoN 719Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOLAR FARMS
719. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the
Minister for Energy:
I refer to the announcement that the Australian Renewable
Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation are combining to
underpin the construction of 10 large-scale solar farms in Australia.
(1) Will the
minister guarantee that at least one of these projects will be built in Western
Australia?
(2) Will the
Western Australian government copy other state governments to co-fund at least
one of these projects?
(3) Has the
minister met with either ARENA or the CEFC to discuss the need for financing
large-scale renewable energy projects?
719. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the
Minister for Energy:
I refer to the announcement that the Australian Renewable
Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation are combining to
underpin the construction of 10 large-scale solar farms in Australia.
(1) Will the
minister guarantee that at least one of these projects will be built in Western
Australia?
(2) Will the
Western Australian government copy other state governments to co-fund at least
one of these projects?
(3) Has the
minister met with either ARENA or the CEFC to discuss the need for financing
large-scale renewable energy projects?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
I thank the member for the question. I think one of the firms wrote to me and
said, and I read in the paper, that this is the proposal. I have met both those
agencies in the past on a whole range of issues to discuss their objectives to
promote various types of renewable energy in Western Australia. Of course,
Western Australia has the largest solar farm in the country financed through
the Western Australian government, through Synergy, at Greenough River Solar
Farm, so we are ahead of the game.
Will I guarantee? I need to see,
and I have not seen, and they, of course, will go through Synergy or maybe
Horizon Power. I understand some of the proposals are joint ventures of mining
operations. I have not seen any proposal or specifics put to me, and I will not
guarantee anything in advance. We do not do things like that. We have to see
the detail before we make a decision, and I have not seen the detail. If they
stack up, we will consider it in due course and make a decision. I indicate
that, of course, the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target has been reset.
Synergy and the other retailers will be required to purchase and to support
renewable energy in Australia, and we will consider projects coming forward. There
are a whole range of other renewable projects besides solar. Indeed, one I am
particularly keen on, to be honest about it, is waste to energy. One of the
reforms undone by the Abbott government to the renewable energy target was to
expand the allowability of types of renewable energy to include waste to
energy. It was excluded before. That has some real advantages —
A government member: Baseload renewables.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : —
baseload renewables—and it will help us address alternatives to
landfill.
I thank the member for the question. I think one of the firms wrote to me and
said, and I read in the paper, that this is the proposal. I have met both those
agencies in the past on a whole range of issues to discuss their objectives to
promote various types of renewable energy in Western Australia. Of course,
Western Australia has the largest solar farm in the country financed through
the Western Australian government, through Synergy, at Greenough River Solar
Farm, so we are ahead of the game.
Will I guarantee? I need to see,
and I have not seen, and they, of course, will go through Synergy or maybe
Horizon Power. I understand some of the proposals are joint ventures of mining
operations. I have not seen any proposal or specifics put to me, and I will not
guarantee anything in advance. We do not do things like that. We have to see
the detail before we make a decision, and I have not seen the detail. If they
stack up, we will consider it in due course and make a decision. I indicate
that, of course, the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target has been reset.
Synergy and the other retailers will be required to purchase and to support
renewable energy in Australia, and we will consider projects coming forward. There
are a whole range of other renewable projects besides solar. Indeed, one I am
particularly keen on, to be honest about it, is waste to energy. One of the
reforms undone by the Abbott government to the renewable energy target was to
expand the allowability of types of renewable energy to include waste to
energy. It was excluded before. That has some real advantages —
A government member: Baseload renewables.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : —
baseload renewables—and it will help us address alternatives to
landfill.
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