A lot of the industry which was established in the post-war era came to the state because of the cheap energy offered by the old Hydro Electric Commission.

It was an economic driver for the state.

The renewable nature of the energy would have not even been on the agenda for Premier 'Electric' Eric Reece and his cabinet when they backed the development of hydro dams and the network to let the power generated flow around the state.

Now two decades into the 21^st century and we are faced with the possibility of a new era of energy generation becoming a major economic driver for the state.

Or at least that's the message from the Tasmanian Government and particularly energy minister Guy Barnett.

Already well on track toward the target of being totally renewable powered, the state has now set its sights on being the renewables generator for the nation and sending clean and green power north to a hungry market north of Bass Strait.

Minister Barnett is regularly out there spruiking the renewables sector, and again this week welcomed the announcement that the Marinus Link project had moved a step closer.

Marinus will give Tasmania the opportunity to sell surplus green energy to other states. It seems on the surface to be a terribly positive case.

But Minister Barnett and the other voices in support of Marinus seem to be met with just as much of a chorus of opposition and concern as they do support whenever the topic is raised.

Many in the general public fear it will just mean cheaper power for people in suburban Melbourne, while we still pay big prices for energy in the state where it is generated.

Others believe it may be superseded by new technologies before the big infrastructure cost is covered.

The government and other proponents seem to still have a way to go before convincing people it will be the economic driver for Tasmania for the new century.

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