MOORABOOL is perfectly placed to harness the potential of renewable energy, according to the Climate Commission.
Releasing The Critical Decade: Victorian Climate Impacts and Opportunities report last week, commissioner Will Steffen said Moorabool should continue to invest in wind and solar, with the report finding the cost of solar panels had dropped 70 per cent in the past two years.
‘‘In your area … you’ve got really good potential to develop renewal energy industries,’’ Professor Steffen said.
The Weekly reported last month that Moorabool Environmental Group was looking to develop a community-owned solar energy farm in Bacchus Marsh.
Two wind farms are planned for the Moorabool area, both south of Ballan. Moorabool Council’s wind energy policy states that while it sees value in wind farms, it has concerns with possible social impacts and health implications.
While renewable energy produces only 5.5per cent of the state’s energy needs, Moorabool’s weather was rated marginally below excellent for generating wind power, with average yearly wind speeds of seven metres per second.
‘‘The area north-east of Ballarat is a very, very good wind resource area,’’ Professor Steffen said.
‘‘This is the critical decade for making the investments that move us away from fossil fuel energy systems. We have to start getting emissions down this decade.’’
Despite solar providing just 8 per cent of all renewable energy in the state, the report found Victoria received enough energy from the sun to produce double the state’s current energy needs through solar power.
‘‘The cost of solar energy is dropping extremely rapidly. Only a few years ago, solar was significantly more expensive than electricity off the grid, but the price is dropping so dramatically. A lot of economists are saying [governments] don’t actually need to subsidise it any more.’’
Professor Steffen said there was no evidence to suggest wind farms posed a health risk.
‘‘I’ve not seen any convincing evidence myself,’’ he said.
A recent poll of predominantly wind farm areas by the Clean Energy Council found wind technology was supported by about 77per cent of respondents.
Moorabool Anti Wind Farm Action Group’s Sue Giddins said there were valid health concerns linked to wind farms which required further investigation.
The Weekly reported in June a meeting of residents highlighted concerns of those living close to a Waubra wind farm and called for the government to invest in solar energy.
