The Victorian opposition has revealed its renewable energy plan ahead of the state election, vowing to pause major transmission projects and establish urban solar parks.
If elected in November, the Victorian Coalition says it will pause and review the controversial VNI West and Western Renewables LinkThe Coalition also says it will create urban solar parks in metropolitan areas, to incentivise solar installations on commercial and industrial rooftops.
There could be a major shift in Victoria's energy transition policy if there's a change of state government in November, with the Coalition revealing its alternative plan ahead of the state election. The transmission projects are running behind time and over budget, and are becoming bogged down in widespread opposition from farmers facing compulsory acquisition of their land. The Coalition also plans to establish urban solar parks in metropolitan areas, with solar and battery installations on commercial and industrial rooftops.
The Coalition said a full review of the Victorian Transmission Plan would enable the spiralling cost of the transmission projects to be rigorously assessed. But Shadow Minister for Agriculture Emma Kealy said it was impossible to make a final decision on scrapping VNI West without being in government.
"We also don't know what Labor has signed us up for, we don't know where the trips and tricks in the contracts might be … so we're going as far as we can. "The Coalition said it would consider alternative energy transition options, particularly the Victorian Energy Policy Centre's Plan B released in 2023. That plan recommends focusing on expanding existing Victorian transmission lines, rather than building new ones.
Its co-author, Bruce Mountain, previously labelled the VNI West project "a giant public policy failure". He found that Australia has enough unused commercial and industrial rooftop space to supply at least 25 per cent of annual electricity use.
"It's really listening to experts in the energy industry who are saying we don't necessarily need VNI West and there are better options out there," she said. "I've read Bruce Mountain's paper. It has really resonated across the farming community but also among some of the energy proponents.
"Marnoo farmer Ben Duxson has been a leading critic of VNI West, and is the founder and chairman of land rights advocacy group Farmers Fightback.he said. "How can you go ahead with something when you haven't got consent of the landholders that are major stakeholders in it. ""It makes practical sense doesn't it, create the power where it's needed, it's good policy," he said.
Mr Duxson said the Farmers Fightback group, which has 55,000 followers on social media, would be unrelenting during the six-month election campaign to come.
"It's OK to draw a line in the sand and say 'no, we're not putting up with this', and that's what we're doing. Katherine Myers is a potato grower at Tourello, north of Ballarat, and is in the path of the WRL.
The Coalition's commitment to pause the project came just a day after Ms Myers learned project proponent AusNet had applied for compulsory acquisition powers under"This infrastructure is going to become an election issue, which I think it needs to be," she said.
"I think it's really exciting that they're looking at generating significant renewable energy closer to Melbourne, where it can actually be used. That's what we need for the energy transition.
"A spokesperson previously said VNI West was needed "to deliver cheap power and keep the lights on as aging coal-fired generators retire". "The faster we can build new transmission lines, the faster we can connect renewable energy to the grid and the cheaper our energy prices will be,” they said. Royal Commissions
Transmission Solar Wind VNI West WRL Rooftop Solar Victorian Coalition Energy Energy Policy
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