December 14, 2012
Australia

Guidelines wait blows against NSW wind farms

ABC News | 14 December 2012 | www.abc.net.au

The Clean Energy Council says a delay in finalising new guidelines for wind farms in New South Wales is forcing investors to look to other states for opportunities.

It is a year since the New South Wales Government put draft guidelines out for community consultation.

A spokesman for Planning Minister Brad Hazzard says the policy is still being finalised.

In the meantime, no new wind farms have been approved.

The Clean Energy Council’s policy director, Russell Marsh, says that is sending investment elsewhere.

“There are a number of projects that we know developers would like to take forward but until they have the planning guidelines finalised they don’t actually know how to take that project forward and under what conditions it will be approved,” Mr Marsh said.

“Wind farm developers and investors will look at other states where the guidelines have been finalised to build projects and effectively NSW will miss out on some of that investment.”

Greens MP John Kaye shares the council’s concerns.

“The wind industry is in a state of crisis in NSW. There’s very little happening,” Dr Kaye said.

“There’s $10 billion worth of investment sitting in the pipeline waiting to find out what Brad Hazzard is going to do with their future.

“Four thousand jobs, 17 million tonnes a year cut from the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, waiting to see what the O’Farrell Government will do.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/12/14/guidelines-wait-blows-against-nsw-wind-farms/