Morrison Regime Nixes Funding For Wind/Battery Power In Qland: "Inconsistent W. Its Goals"
The Morrison government has vetoed public funding of a windfarm and battery project in northern Queensland, with a cabinet minister declaring it was inconsistent with its goals and policies.
The Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility (Naif), a government agency, in January approved up to $280m funding for the Kaban green energy hub 80km south-west of Cairns. The proponents, Neoen Australia, estimated the development could reduce electricity prices for Queensland consumers by $461m over the life of the project.
Keith Pitt, the minister for resources, water and northern Australia, blocked the loan in March. In a letter to the head of the agency, Pitt said the development would not provide “dispatchable” generation into the national electricity market and he was “not convinced” it would lower power prices. The blocked funding would have helped build a 157-megawatt windfarm and 100MW battery. The project also includes a 320km transmission line upgrade. Neoen says the hub would create 247 jobs during construction and five ongoing positions.
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Labor’s spokesman on northern Australian, Murray Watt, said the letter showed the government had an “ideological obsession” against renewable energy that was costing jobs and lower power prices. The opposition’s climate change and energy spokesman, Chris Bowen, said north Queensland should be getting 250 new energy jobs and reduced electricity bills “but they’ve been hung out to dry”. “Queensland has the resources and the workers to continue to power the country and the world, but a government that is leaving them behind,” he said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/06/coalition-vetoes-funding-for-wind-and-battery-farm-in-northern-queensland
