Thousands of potential Tasmanian jobs are at risk after the Morrison Government confirmed the dumping of the National Energy Guarantee policy.
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That is according to Franklin Labor MHR Julie Collins, who said: “The decision threatens billions of dollars of investment and thousands of potential jobs in renewable energy in Tasmania.”
“This includes the Battery of the Nation project, which has the potential to help Tasmania lead the nation in the transition to clean energy.
“Expanding the pumped hydro arrangements in Tasmania through the Battery of the Nation only makes sense if you have a government in Canberra that will drive renewable energy investment.
“Under Scott Morrison and the hard right agenda of the Liberals, this now looks impossible.”
But Liberal Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff said there would be no change to the Tasmanian projects, as he understood it.
“The commitments around pumped hydro, Battery of the Nation, as an example, remain from the federal government,” he said.
“ … Battery of the Nation still exists and we don’t anticipate too much change.”
Comment was being sought from the federal government.
Pumped hydro developments championed by deposed prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the state government have been predicted to be capable of creating 3000 Tasmanian jobs, mostly in the regions.
Liberals had said the NEG would underpin a potential second Basslink-type energy interconnector to the mainland.
That would allow Tasmania to export more of its increased energy production from wind farms and pumped hydro to the mainland at premium prices.
Despite dumping the NEG, the federal government is continuing to spruik new power generation and lower prices.
Mr Turnbull had argued the NEG was needed for investment certainty, but dumped it late in his prime ministership.
Wind farm projects planned for the state include UPC Renewables Australia’s $1.5 billion plans for sites on Robbins Island and nearby Jims Plain.
Speaking in late August, after doubts about the NEG’s future insensified, UPC said it believed the combination of wind and pumped hydro energy would put downward pressure on energy prices in Tasmania and interstate.
It said it was aiming to lodge draft development approval documents in November.
Ms Collins said: “Scott Morrison doesn’t visit Tasmania and he clearly doesn’t understand how important renewable energy projects like the Battery of the Nation are to our state.”
”Federal Labor is committed to delivering cheaper and cleaner power through renewable energy.”
State Labor Shadow Energy Minister David O’Byrne said: ““We have gone from Malcolm Turnbull, who supported renewable energy projects like pumped hydro, to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has sat in parliament with a lump of coal.”
“Tasmanian renewable generators are telling us they can produce clean energy at a lower cost than coal power operators, but they need certainty.”
