Community
13 June, 2024
Premier visits Mortlake South
PREMIER Jacinta Allan’s visit to Mortlake last week sent a clear message; her government is unwavering in its commitment to lead Victoria to a renewable energy future.
The Premier toured the Mortlake South Wind Farm (MSWF) last Thursday as the final project to come online as part of the Labor Government’s first Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) reverse auction.
Works on the 158-megawatt wind farm are now complete, having created 100 jobs during construction, with all turbines expected to come fully online before the end of the year.
All projects from the first VRET reverse auction, which includes MSWF and the Tilt Renewables-developed 336 megawatts (MW) Dundonnell Wind Farm, are now delivering a total 807 MW of cheap renewable energy.
“Our ongoing focus on renewable energy is delivering results and making a real difference,” Mrs Allan said.
“Mortlake South Wind Farm will generate enough renewable energy to power 115,000 homes.”
Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora said the development of MSWF had been “so important for the community” in being among the $1.1 billion investment in regional Victoria under the VRET.
Mrs Ermacora said the renewable projects had not only created 900 jobs during construction, which included 270 apprenticeships and traineeships, but created ongoing training and employment opportunities in an industry set to benefit the region for decades to come.
“MSWF has been constructed by tradies with renewable energy skills from our community,” she said.
“Those skills are being invested in at South West TAFE with the $5 million renewable trade training centre and the new tech school which is on its way as well.
“Our government is completely committed to projects with a pipeline of workers from our community who will be involved in the future as well as currently, and also played our role in the renewable energy transition.”
Mrs Allan said Labor was on track to reach its target of transitioning to 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035, while the remaining five per cent is gas peaking power.
Last year, renewable energy made up 39 per cent of energy capacity because of the 78 new large-scale projects which have been commissioned to date – delivering 5.34 gigawatts of energy.
As part of the next steps of the process, in 2025 the revived State Electricity Commission (SEC) will begin taking power generated from these projects to meet the target of running every government building, from schools to police stations, on renewable energy by 2025.
This will be achieved through the 1.2 GW of energy generated under the VRET, but as the state-owned SEC grows it will also start supplying commercial and industrial customers in a move the government has said will slash energy costs for businesses.
“We set strong, ambitious targets to help drive investment which we’ve seen not only in Mortlake from Acciona but from around the state,” Mrs Allan said.
“This result is largely due to a mix of solar and wind energy, and we’re on track to achieve the 40 per cent target by 2025, and then we’ve firmly set our sights on 95 per cent of Victoria’s energy being from renewable sources by 2035.
“That’s why we’ve seen further work on more solar and wind; offshore wind has an important role to play, so does battery storage, which is why investment and partnership by the SEC as we push towards 95 per cent renewable energy generation by 2035 is so important.
“Not only are we bringing back the SEC, bringing back putting power in to the hands of Victorians, projects such as Mortlake South Wind Farm will help drive renewable energy to all of our public hospitals, schools and police stations from 2025.”
Mrs Allan said the transition had the added benefit of continuing to bolster an industry which would create employment opportunities for Victorians for decades to come.
“We need many people to come in to this industry because not only do we need them to be part of the industry’s future, but it’s a great future,” she said.
“It’s a secure job, it’s a good job, and there’s a good future ahead because of the enormous pipeline of renewable projects we have coming online.”
Because of this investment in renewables, Victoria has the lowest wholesale energy prices in the national market and from July 1, the Victorian Default Offer is being cut by $100 – making it more than $300 cheaper than the equivalent offer in other states.
“This can be cheaper because we are driving more renewable energy in to the market, and it is an example of what can be achieved when you have that investment and have that focus,” Mrs Allan said.
