Proposal & Research

The Australian Labor government is phasing out coal-fired power, and is rolling out renewables in its place, with the objective of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and an 82% renewables target by 2030. The Victorian Government has gone even further, committing to using ‘renewables’ for 95% of the state’s energy production and storage by 2035. The Victorian government has also recently passed legislation enabling RE projects to be 'fast-tracked', in an industry that is already largely unregulated.  These renewable targets, in their current form, are unattainable, and to continue to pursue them would be reckless, 

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In pursuit of these targets, the government plans to concentrate RE projects in Priority Renewable energy Zones, the locations for which (in Victoria) will be announced by VicGrid, a government agency, early next year. At the moment, the Southern Wimmera is in the Western Victoria REZ. We, as an organisation and a community, have made it abundantly clear through the feedback process that we do not wish to be part of a Priority REZ and will not host RE infrastructure, due to the social economic and environmental impacts such projects have; Our region is already overrepresented in terms of RE facilities, with many already operational, and many more proposed, including the Campbells Bridge Wind Farm, the Watta Wella Energy Hub and the Navarre Green Energy Hub; these communities are only a short distance from each other. These zones will become industrial wastelands, with large transmission networks, including WRL and VNI West, installed to carry power to the cities and interstate - staying up to date with the 'Stop the Towers' campaign is a key focus of this group. 

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The maps and policy documents below illustrate the government's intentions for Victoria and also shows that Victoria is already incredibly congested with RE projects, especially when compared with other states.