THE future provision of energy in the Great Southern has become a clear division for both Labor and Liberal parties leading up to next week’s State Election.
The single issue being pushed onto Albany electors, of which party is going to provide the best new hospital, has been overtaken by a choice of whether electricity is produced from renewable energy or continuing in with fossil fuel.
Albany’s potential for becoming Australia’s first city powered by self-sustainable renewable energy was given a boost by WA Premier Alan Carpenter during a visit to the city on Tuesday.
He promised Labor would provide a $7m renewable energy production facility fund to enable base-load renewable energy projects to get off the ground if re-elected.
Last weekend, Liberal leader Colin Barnett committed to a $225 million extension of the natural gas pipeline from Bunbury to Albany.
This was seen as developing a secure, reliable and safe energy supply for the future economic and social growth of the region.
Mr Carpenter said Labor’s funding incentive would make prospective base-load renewable energy projects more viable.
A total of one million dollars would be available, paid at a rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, in addition to contractual sales prices, for the production of wave and geothermal-powered renewable energy in the state.
“The first one that seems to me most obvious is the wave power project here in Albany, which in conjunction with the expansion of the wind turbine project, will enable Albany to become the first renewable energy city in Australia,” Mr Carpenter said.
Carnegie Corporation has been granted permission to lease 30,000 hectares of ocean floor off Sand Patch for its exclusive use to undertake a feasibility study of its wave power technology.
This has been supported by the City which has granted access for a land-based power unit.
The Albany Wind Farm’s 12 turbines now provide about 50 per cent of Albany’s electricity, but another six turbines planned will take the total produced to 80 per cent.
Verve Energy is soon expected to announce it is officially leasing the land from the City for the wind farm extension.
“Australia’s renewable energy city, Albany,” Mr Carpenter said. “No more beautiful a place, no more appropriate place could I imagine to establish as Australia’s first renewable energy city.”
Liberal Albany candidate Andrew Partington said the pipeline from Bunbury would be built as a joint venture between a government-owned utility and a private-sector proponent.
It would come via Bridgetown and Manjimup, with construction to begin within the first term of a Liberal Government.
“A Liberal Government will provide a fully transparent subsidy to the government-owned utility for the project until the customer base and demand requirements grow,” he said.
He said the plan would encourage further investment in the region and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased use of cleaner natural gas.
However, more money is expected to be needed to fully reticulate Albany with a gas supply network as only the older section of central Albany is serviced.
Albany Mayor Milton Evans said both announcements would result in a positive future for Albany.
But Mr Carpenter’s announcement was most unexpected.
“It generates a great deal of excitement in the potential for renewable energy and our quest to be the first local authority in the nation to be totally dependent on renewable energy,” he said.
“It is a step forward in the right direction. We have a great deal of interest now in the potential for wave power and the associated desalination plant that can come with that.”
Mr Evans said a gas pipeline would also be good for the Great Southern, but he had yet to see any paperwork and information that made it viable.
Mr Carpenter also proposed legislation to stop uranium mining in the state.