Calls For New Nature Reserves As Part Of Hunter Transmission Project

BY CHARLIE PROUDLOCK

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW is calling on the state government to re-think the Hunter Transmission Project.

The major initiative is set to incur a sweep of deforestation across a large portion of the Hunter's bushland, with the Conservation Council asking for additional nature reserves to offset it's predicted impact. 

It follows submissions from fellow environmental groups slamming the planned deforestation which will take place during to the project's construction, including at Olney, Watagan and Pokolbin state forests. 

In an effort to combat the impacts, the Conservation Council has released a report identifying 11 new strategic reserves to be added in conjunction with the major project, set to strengthen ecological connectivity across the region.

The listed reserves include 700 hectares of former BHP land at West Wallsend, 580 hectares adjacent to Newcastle Link Road, and about 3,000 hectares of land in the Hunter Economic Zone at Tomalpin. 

The Conservation Council's Policy and Advocacy Director Brad Smith said their main goal is to stop the decline in some of the State's most critically endangered species.

"The [Hunter Transmission] Project itself is about 100 kilometres long and the area it will disturb is about 1,000 hectares," he said.

"Of the 1,000 hectares, around 200 is endangered bushland.

"We're saying to just give those State forests back to National Parks.

"At the moment, they're being logged, and by removing the logging threat from those State forests, it would have a great impact for nature in the region."

Mr Smith went further to call on Newcastle Council to back them in their push for renewed ecological health in the region.

"We hope everyone would be on our side, because this is a good outcome for nature," he said.

"We know we need to get ahead with this transmission line and bring the solar, wind power to the businesses and home who need it, but we don't want to see nature sidelined in the process.

"This is really a once-in-a-generation opportunity to really take hold of some of these beautiful natural areas in the Hunter and protect them for everyone into the future."

Currently, project refinements are continuing to be made following field surveys, agency consultation and community feedback.

Picture: NSW Government. 

Opposition to the reopening of Redbank Power Station

BY OLIVIA GOELDNER

Proposals to reopen the Redbank Power Station have been met with opposition from environmentalists. 

Verdant Earth Technologies made the proposal, looking to turn the former coal-fired power station into a biomass energy generator. 

They say they will work closely with industry, local Landcare services and landowners, sourcing material through the removal of wood waste and noxious weeds from residencies and approved sites.

With plans on burning 850,000 tonnes of waste wood to produce energy. 

Representatives from the Nature Conservation Council of NSW have opposed the reopening of the plant, arguing the initiative is backed by fossil-fuel lobbyists and may not be environmentally friendly.  

While further claiming the burning of any material will continue to see significant carbon emissions. 

Photo courtesy of Nipun Jagtap

Changes Announced For Hunter Offshore Wind Zone

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister has announced changes to the offshore wind zone declared for the Hunter's coast.

Chris Bowen is expected to announce a zone 1000 square metres smaller than the one originally proposed, which will run from Port Stephens to Swansea. 

It's also been moved about 9 kilometres further offshore.

The Central Coast section of the zone slated to go 10 kilometres off the shore at Norah Head has been removed from the proposal, after Shadow Minister Ted O'Brien last week heard concerns from the community about its potential to have visual, economic and environmental impacts on the area. 

The height of the turbines will be capped at 260 metres to address aviation concerns.

The changes mean the zone's energy-generating potential has shrunk from 8 gigawatts to 5. 

Mr. Bowen said the offshore wind industry has the potential to create over 3,000 construction jobs in the Hunter and 1,560 ongoing jobs. 

The government estimates the declared zone will generate enough electricity to power 4.2 million homes once fully developed. 

Residents Call for Another Round of Community Consultation On The Proposed Hunter Offshore Wind Farm

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy says the Federal Government isn't doing enough to keep Hunter and Central Coast residents in the loop about a proposed local wind farm project. 

The almost 3,000 square kilometre Hunter Offshore Wind Zone extends from Port Stephens in the north to Norah Head in the south. 

It's possible turbines could be placed within 10 kilometres of the shore. 

Meeting with members of the Love Norah Head community group this week, Ted O'Brien was told the residents are concerned about the project's potential impacts on the local economy, marine environment, fishing industry and surfers. 

He says, community consultation needs to be properly carried out. 

"They want to be heard they want their questions answered," he said. 

"There was nothing put to me by the community that was unreasonable. No one was out there campaigning against action on climate change or the need for renewable energy sources; they were just going back to basics saying "If you're going to change our way of life, shouldn't we have a say?"

"I'll be making representations to the Minister and the government on their behalf, and we have to remember that it is local, regional communities that are on the frontline of Australia's energy transition, and their voice must be heard and listened to." 

Hunter Businesses Ask For Grid Certainty Amid Liddell Closure

BY PETER HYSLOP

Liddell Power Station is due to close at the end of this month after the plant was deemed expensive, outdated, and unreliable by its operator, AGL.

The closure marks the end of Australia's oldest operating coal plant, making way for new renewable energy projects.

But as the power plant goes offline, businesses are calling for cheaper renewable energy to be made available.

CEO of Business Hunter Bob Hawes says more needs to be done to sure up the grid into the future.

"As we move forward on this pathway of more closures of large-scale coal-fired power stations, [we need] to have renewables built and commissioned that can replace them and we simply don't have that at the moment.

"There's a lot of announcements around projects, and the list is very long ... [but] we're not seeing large-scale renewables come on stream at affordable prices in a volume and timely matter to offset the immediate concerns we have," he said.

Hawes said business and government need to work together to ensure local renewable energy projects get off the ground.

"Liddell ... serves as a very poignant reminder that we've got a lot of work to do to make sure the transition to renewables is smooth," he said.

Liddell Power Station (Australian Government)

Brownouts and Blackouts After Eraring Closure, MP Warns

 BY PETER HYSLOP

State member for Lake Macquarie Greg Piper says the community could be subject to "brownouts and blackouts" if not enough is invested in alternative energy sources before Eraring Power Station is closed in 2025.

The independent MP told 2NUR the closure can't happen if the state is not ready to make the switch.

"While it has a closure date ... we shouldn't be locked into that if we're not actually ready.

"We don't have ... confidence that we will have storage for base load power to be dispatched to the demand we can match now with a power station such as Eraring," he said.

Piper said the community would be "outraged" if power had to be cut to homes without sufficient capacity on the grid. 

While he understands Origin, the operator, can't keep producing energy at a loss, he said it would be unacceptable for the government to buy it back.

"It would be an extraordinary proposition for the state to re-acquire this power station at this stage, it's been heavily compromised over the years ... the cost would be probably unacceptable," he said.

(Image: CSIRO)

NSW Labor Committs to Hunter Clean Energy Transition Authority

BY OLIVIA DILLON

 

NSW Labor has committed to creating a Hunter Clean Energy Transition Authority if it forms government this month, to guide the region through the closure of its coal-fired power stations. 

 

Formed in a bid to guide workers and businesses towards emerging industries, the authority would be similar to one established in Victoria, following the closure of the Hazelwood Power Station and Mine. 

 

It's role would be to help maximise job opportunities, re-skilling and re-deploying workers as businesses close. 

 

The Opposition hasn't yet disclosed how it will pay for the authority.

But, Shadow Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley, said the party is committed to establishing a partnership between the agency, and its proposed TAFE Manufacturing Centre for Excellence. 

She also said it will ensure the region maintains its status as an energy powerhouse. 

Liddell Power Station is slated to close in April 2023.

Super Battery to go on Former Munmorah Power Station Site

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The biggest battery in the Southern Hemisphere has been confirmed for the site of the former Munmorah Power Station. 

It's expected the 850 Megawatt NSW Waratah Super Battery facility will be up-and-running by 2025, with hopes it will in line-up with the closure of the Eraring Power Station. 

Swansea MP Yasmin Catley is welcoming the move, saying the project will generate hundreds of jobs in the construction and ongoing maintenance of the facility.

"Labor has fought hard to ensure that the Waratah Super Battery is located in the this region. We envision that the Munmorah site will become a renewable energy manufacturing hub." 

There's concern for the future of a 76 hectare Ash Dam which sits on the site, with environmentalists calling for remediator Generator Property Management to release its plans for the pond. 

 

Newcastle Airport Signs Historic Clean Energy Deal

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Newcastle Airport is one step closer to making the transition to 100% renewable energy, thanks to a new partnership. 

It's been announced today, a new energy purchase agreement has been signed by the airport and Flow Power. 

The agreement with the leading renewable energy retailer, will see the airport achieve its reduced carbon emission target, 7 years ahead of schedule. 

Already, the airport has installed a 99 kilowatt solar system, powering 4% of its needs.

There's future plans for more solar to take the renewable power supply to 30%

Under the new agreement, the plan is for the airport to offset grid consumption with green generation certificates, with the capacity to explore off-site sources in the future, including wind projects when they become available. 

Newcastle Airport CEO Peter Cock, said he's excited to see the airport continue on it's road to a clean energy future. 

"Effectively, all the energy we buy is being offset, so that takes about 2000 tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the environment," he said. 

"Often people like to talk about it in terms of cars; it's like 500 cars being taken off the road." 

Urgent Investment Needed for Renewables

BY OLIVIA DILLON 

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), says urgent investment is needed for the Hunter's renewable energy projects. 

With the upcoming closure of the Liddell Power Station, the Operator has updated the 2022 Electricity Statement of Opportunities, and says projects in the pipeline need to be fast-tracked, to avoid the continuation of soaring energy costs. 

The update reflects key concerns already held by the region's peak business body. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes, said measures need to be put in place across the region, to prepare businesses and households for the possibility renewables won't initially be able to match domestic demand. 

"We've got to now stress more strongly to businesses and the community, to look much more carefully at energy conservation measures; how they can put in place measures that will reduce their energy consumption as a way to offset the pressure that they're likely to come under as power shortages continue," Mr Hawes said. 

"If they do, it's likely we're not going to see the stabilization of prices at all. Prices are likely to stay quite high." 

He also said with the election coming up in March, investment in renewables should be a priority. 

"We're recommending the incoming state government look at the opportunity to automatically designate any renewable energy project as a state-significant infrastructure project, so it moves quickly through the planning process," Mr Hawes said. 

"We need to give these projects as much support as we possibly can, because at the moment it's looking a little bit grim based on AEMO's forecast."  

NSW Greens Pledge to Use Coal Royalties to Fund the Region's Energy Transition

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The NSW Greens have announced they will introduce a new authority to support the Hunter's transition away from coal, if they win the state election. 

The NSW Transition Authority will use a budget of $500 million, to assist coal-dependent communities to diversify their local economies. 

The Authority will be funded using a progressive coal royalty system, modelled off one currently operating in Queensland. 

It's already estimated to earn the state government an extra $8 billion per year. 

The body will also ban new coal and gas projects like the one slated for Narrabri, will help re-train and place mine workers in new industries. 

Greens MP Abigail Boyd, said coal-ash recycling is one such example. 

"There are thousands of jobs that we can create in various industries, but one of the ones that the Greens have been working with the community for over the last four years in Parliament, is this growing awareness that there is a huge amount of coal-ash sitting in coal-fired power stations, that you can actually turn into light-weight construction aggregates; you can use them in roads, and in pathways."

She also said local residents and workers will be involved in every step of the process. 

Image: Lock the Gate

Energy regulator sets sights on Hunter Transmission Project to counter blackouts

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has released a new 30-year roadmap, hoping to safeguard the electricity grid across the Hunter and the country against further energy crises.

The Integrated System Plan is calling for more investment in new transmission lines, with the expectation the grid will be able to meet 100 percent of demand with entirely renewable energy sources.

The plan argues a nine-fold increase in wind and solar capacity, five-fold in rooftop solar, and triple in storage, gas, and hydro will be needed to secure supply, with electricity consumption expected to double by 2050.

Five major project areas have been identified, including a Sydney Ring proposal, focusing on energy supply to Newcastle, Wollongong, and Sydney.

The northern part of the project, the Hunter Transmission Project, is likely to revolve around large-scale capacity projects like the Waratah Super Battery and other development around renewable energy zones.

Climate Council Senior Researcher Tim Baxter says it's critical infrastructure for the region's future.

"The Waratah Super Battery is the type of project that the work on transmission will enable," he said. 

"That allows us to shore up the grid, it allows us to enable deeper penetration of cheap and clean renewable energy."

"For industrial places like the Hunter, that's going to mean the ability to deliver cheap Australian energy, produced from the wind and sun."

A 500kV transmission link is also being proposed between the Eraring and Bayswater substations.

The option is being estimated to cost as much as $1.35 billion, with a southern alternative costed at more than $3 billion.

The report suggests delivery in 2027-28, dependent on other constraints.

Kurri Kurri Gas Plant Given $600 Million Green Light

BY CHARLOTTE LLOYD 

The Hunter Valley is set to receive a new gas power plant from the federal government who says the projects will reduce emissions while creating jobs and enhancing the region with lower energy prices.

The Government announced it is handing over $600 million for Snowy Hydro Limited to construct the 660 MW open cycle gas turbine on the site of the former Kurri Kurri aluminum smelter.

The government hopes the development of the project in the region will deliver an economic boost with an increase in direct and indirect jobs across the Hunter and beyond. 

The plant is due to be up and running by 2023, and is set to fill the gap in the energy market left by Liddell Power Station when it closes in the same year. 

Energy Minister Angus Taylor says that cheap and effective power is the next step to growing households and businesses in the area and is committed to keeping prices low with the removal of Liddell. 

"On every front, it is about replacing the Liddell generator. 

"This combined with the announcement made by Energy Australia to build a gas generator in the Illawarra will mean that we meet that target of having enough capacity so that we will have the supply we need to keep the lights on," Mr Taylor said.

Snowy Hydro CEO Paul Broad says that this new development has meant a lot of work has been happening behind the scenes in anticipation for the commencement of construction starting early next year. 

"It's fundamental to the transition away from base load coal power to renewables plus intermittent power from gas plants and batteries and hydro" Mr Broad said.

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says he is welcoming the decision by the government that will allow some certainty being put back into the market. 

"In a perfect world it would be nice for us to be able to just transition straight to renewables but the reality of industry and business in the Hunter says otherwise and we do need a continuing supply of dispatchable power at an affordable price" Mr Hawes Said.

Labor MP Meryl Swanson whose seat of Paterson the gas plant is being constructed in, has thrown her support behind the project.

Ms Swanson told 2NURFM last week the plant is needed to fill the void left by Liddell's closure.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor & Snowy Hydro CEO
Paul Broad at Kurri Kurri for the announcement on Wednesday

Investors Blown Away by University of Newcastle Startup's Wind Turbine

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Compact, yet offering the highest energy output in its class, a small wind turbine created by a University of Newcastle based start-up is attracting large commercial investment in a bid to improve remote and emergency telecommunication access.

Diffuse Energy, has secured $400,000 in seed funding from Australian venture capital fund, Shearwater Growth Equity, to scale production of its promising renewable energy option.

An idea born from PhD research, engineers Dr Joss Kesby, Dr Sam Evans and James Bradley, now co-founders of Diffuse Energy, are reimagining wind energy.

Unlike a traditional open-blade wind turbine which may be as large 160 metres in diameter, their invention spans less than a metre. 

This is achieved by enclosing the blades within a diffuser, which draws more air through the turbine to boost power while taking up less space.

CEO of Diffuse Energy, Dr Joss Kesby said they were changing the way telecommunications companies buy renewable energy infrastructure.

“Our commercial model removes upfront hardware costs in favour of a monthly subscription, eliminating major barriers associated with technology uptake and deployment,” said Dr Kesby.

Suitable for the toughest off-grid environments in Australia, the scaled-down, lightweight turbines plug into existing telecommunications infrastructure, enabling rapid setup of turbines onto towers in hard-to-service locations, and converting them from diesel power generation to cheaper, more environmentally friendly wind-power.

“We know small wind can solve the unique challenges of powering telecommunications infrastructure in remote locations and under critical emergency scenarios. The challenge has been how to deploy at scale in remote and off-grid locations in the most cost-effective manner possible,” said Dr Kesby.

L-R: James Bradley, Joss Kesby, Sam Evans

$5-Million Spark For Newcastle Company to Improve Electricity System

BY EL FITCHETT

A Newcastle based company and industry leader in energy management software has secured a $5 million dollar investment which will spark new opportunities for renewable energy use around the globe.

The $5 million dollar boost comes courtesy of South Korean company Q CELLS, which is an industry leader in solar technology.

"We're approaching a time when we will have high levels of solar energy and batteries in the grid, and our software enables them to be coordinated to work smoothly with the electricity system," said SwitchDin CEO, Dr Andrew Mears.

SwitchDin is the first Australian software company in which Q CELLS has ever invested.

"Our investment in SwitchDin reflects our ambition to deliver a total clean energy solution together with a partner that has a proven track record which we believe will bring confidence to our customers," said CEO of Q CELLS, Hee Cheul Kim.

The funding will fast track the development of SwitchDin's technology, as well as opening up more international opportunities for the Newcastle-based company to work on projects between energy utilities and manufacturers.

"We are leading this new digital energy field in Australia. Australia is pretty much the test market for the world for this type of stuff," Dr Andrew Mears said.

"Newcastle's a great place to be building a technology company like ours. It's resource and manufacturing background, the Port of Newcastle, the Defence Hub, we're all part of the same technology eco-system emerging in Newcastle."

Many Novacastrians Paying More for Electricity Bills this Week

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Some Newcastle residents will be paying more for electricity this week, following a number of letters being sent out by Energy Australia warning of a price hike.

Newcastle MP, Sharon Claydon said she was contacted by a number of residents who received letters from Energy Australia, warning of the increase as a result of increasing supply costs.

Energy Australia states in the letter, "After two years of holding prices flat while supply costs have increased significantly, we've made the difficult decision to adjust our prices with inflation."

The MP is criticizing the Federal Government for asserting energy prices are going down, when whole sale power prices have apparently risen by more than 20 percent since the appointment of Energy Minister Angus Taylor in August 2018.

"At a time when electricity disconnections are already at record highs, and we've got incomes stagnating or indeed going backwards in some cases, another spike in electricity costs will just be the straw that breaks the camels back," she said.

Sharon Claydon says more focus on renewable energies would help combat these price hikes.

"We're in this crazy situation where we've got an incredible wealth of renewable resources in Australia, we could be riding a wave of renewable energy investment and forcing those power prices down," she said.

"But instead investment in renewable energy plummeted by more than 60 percent in the last year."

End of Gas Exploration in Hunter and Central Coast

BY LAURA D'AMICO

Swansea and the Central Coast will see on-land gas exploration come to an end, after the cancellation of the State Government's Petroleum Exploration Licence 461.

The license, granted in 2008, originally covered over 15,000 hectares around Swansea, Wyee and Budgewoi, impacting tens of thousands of homes.

With the cancellation of the license, the towns are being assured no more gas exploration can be undertaken.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald has welcomed the announcement by Resources Minister Don Harwin, saying the cancellation removes uncertainty for the communities.

Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham said it's a good start but there is more the Government could be doing.

"It's a step in the right direction but the government needs to get serious about cancelling licenses across the Hunter and Central Coast," Mr Buckingham said.

"The region is still faced with many other petroleum exploration licenses and the prospect of offshore gas drilling, the State and Federal Government need to do much more to move away from fossil fuels towards a renewable energy future that deals with the impacts of climate change."

Georgina Woods from Lock the Gate Alliance has also long been opposed to this type of testing. 

"We welcome the buyback of the Petroleum Exploration License. It's long overdue to be honest, a great relief for local residences," Ms Woods said.

"This was a legacy exploration license from before the Chief sciences review of the Coal-Seam Gas Industry, which recommended strict new regimes for that industry in this State and it's a terrific relief that the government has finally gotten rid of it."

For more information on Government plans on resources and energy, please visit the Department of Planning and Environment.

Image Sourced from Utility Magazine

Newcastle Set To Be Hub For Renewable Energy

BY IAN CROUCH

A Newcastle company is set to be at the forefront of renewable energy thanks to a massive investment from overseas.

A Swiss firm is injecting $700 million into C.W.P Renewables based Hunter Street to build large-scale wind, solar and battery projects in NSW.

The company says it will produce enough energy to help replace the Liddell coal-fired power station at Muswellbrook when it closes in 2022.

The plan, known as the Grassroots Energy Platform, will be built over the next four years.