❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions Synergy and Horizon Power's plans to meet the federal 20% renewable energy target. The Minister responds by outlining existing renewable energy initiatives and stating Synergy will meet its obligations, but plans are commercial-in-confidence.
AnsweredQoN 3817Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to
question without notice No. 1242, asked in the Legislative Council on 22 October
2015 to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy, and given
that in 2014 the State generated just 9.3 per cent of its energy needs
from renewable capacity, and that the State Government owns much of Western
Australia’s generation assets through Synergy and Horizon Power, and I ask: (a) are there plans for Synergy and Horizon Power to increase their renewable generation capacity to meet the 20 per cent target set by the Federal Government; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), what is the nature of these plans and when will they be publicly available; and (d) if yes to (a), will the Minister please table these plans?
question without notice No. 1242, asked in the Legislative Council on 22 October
2015 to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy, and given
that in 2014 the State generated just 9.3 per cent of its energy needs
from renewable capacity, and that the State Government owns much of Western
Australia’s generation assets through Synergy and Horizon Power, and I ask: (a) are there plans for Synergy and Horizon Power to increase their renewable generation capacity to meet the 20 per cent target set by the Federal Government; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), what is the nature of these plans and when will they be publicly available; and (d) if yes to (a), will the Minister please table these plans?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 March 2016
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy
Response time
34 days
(a) As stated in the response to Question Without Notice 1427 asked in the Legislative Council on 1 December 2015, the 9.3 per cent the Member is referring to pertains only to the South West Interconnected System. I expect Synergy to meet its obligations under the Commonwealth Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000.
(b) Not Applicable.
(c) The Liberal-National Government has funded the Residential Feed in Tariff Scheme and the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme that have driven the proliferation of roof-top solar installations across Western Australia. The largest source of generating capacity in the SWIS in 2020 will be from residential rooftop solar.
Since 2008, it has also, either directly or through Synergy delivered significant large-scale renewable energy projects in Western Australia.
In conjunction with underwriting the success of the $750 million, 206 megawatt (MW) Collgar Wind Farm in Merredin, which supplies renewable energy into the SWIS, Synergy directly invested $40 million to build the 14MW Grassmere Wind Farm in Albany, which was completed in 2011.
Synergy has also successfully entered into joint ventures to build the $50 million, 10MW Greenough River Solar Farm and the $200 million, 55MW Mumbida Wind Farm, both of which are located south east of Geraldton and were completed in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The Greenough River Solar Farm was made possible through a $10 million injection of capital from the Royalties for Regions program.
Synergy also underwrites other private sector large scale projects such as the 79.2MW Emu Downs Wind Farm and operates additional wind farms in Bremer Bay, Coral Bay, Denham, Esperance, Hopetoun, and Kalbarri.
In April 2015, Synergy closed the final stage of Kwinana Power Station, after 45 years of operation, approximately six months ahead of schedule, decreasing its emissions and delivering operational savings. It also closed traditional fuel-fired generation assets in Geraldton.
It is important to note that if you included the total residential rooftop solar generation capacity currently in the SWIS alone the State generated approximately 12% of overall sent out electricity from renewable sources.
The State Government continues to incentivise and underwrite the installation of approximately 100MW of new residential solar capacity each year.
Synergy will continue to act in the State’s best commercial interests in meeting its Large-Scale Renewable Energy Target requirements.
(d) As stated in the response to Question Without Notice 1427, these are commercial-in-confidence.
(b) Not Applicable.
(c) The Liberal-National Government has funded the Residential Feed in Tariff Scheme and the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme that have driven the proliferation of roof-top solar installations across Western Australia. The largest source of generating capacity in the SWIS in 2020 will be from residential rooftop solar.
Since 2008, it has also, either directly or through Synergy delivered significant large-scale renewable energy projects in Western Australia.
In conjunction with underwriting the success of the $750 million, 206 megawatt (MW) Collgar Wind Farm in Merredin, which supplies renewable energy into the SWIS, Synergy directly invested $40 million to build the 14MW Grassmere Wind Farm in Albany, which was completed in 2011.
Synergy has also successfully entered into joint ventures to build the $50 million, 10MW Greenough River Solar Farm and the $200 million, 55MW Mumbida Wind Farm, both of which are located south east of Geraldton and were completed in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The Greenough River Solar Farm was made possible through a $10 million injection of capital from the Royalties for Regions program.
Synergy also underwrites other private sector large scale projects such as the 79.2MW Emu Downs Wind Farm and operates additional wind farms in Bremer Bay, Coral Bay, Denham, Esperance, Hopetoun, and Kalbarri.
In April 2015, Synergy closed the final stage of Kwinana Power Station, after 45 years of operation, approximately six months ahead of schedule, decreasing its emissions and delivering operational savings. It also closed traditional fuel-fired generation assets in Geraldton.
It is important to note that if you included the total residential rooftop solar generation capacity currently in the SWIS alone the State generated approximately 12% of overall sent out electricity from renewable sources.
The State Government continues to incentivise and underwrite the installation of approximately 100MW of new residential solar capacity each year.
Synergy will continue to act in the State’s best commercial interests in meeting its Large-Scale Renewable Energy Target requirements.
(d) As stated in the response to Question Without Notice 1427, these are commercial-in-confidence.
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