Energise Gloucester Newsletter No 16

Mar 1, 2019

Chairman’s Note

Dear Members,

This is an Election Issue.

Energise Gloucester asked each candidate for the NSW Electorate of Upper Hunter a set of questions about their support for renewable community energy and our projects. Below is what each candidate sent to us by the closing date given to them. As you will see some have not responded at all. We also present a table showing the policies of each major party to the issue of assisting households to install solar and battery systems.

For the next 2 months, Committee members will be busy preparing an application to the NSW Government Regional Community Energy Fund (RCEF). If successful, this will provide Energy Gloucester with some capital funds to assist in the installation of a Community Solar Farm. As our plans develop for this project, we will keep you well informed.

The (RCEF) is a part of the NSW Government’s $30 million Regional Community Energy Program, an initiative under the NSW Climate Change Fund. The program is designed to improve the liability and affordability of energy for regional NSW communities. The fund will support renewable energy and storage projects owned or led by communities in regional NSW that are 'shovel ready' or in progressed stages of development. Applications will be assessed after the State election.

Yours with energy,
David Marston
Chair

Our Letter

The following letter was sent to the candidates on 6 February 2019.

"As you are a candidate for the NSW State election in the seat of Upper Hunter, Energise Gloucester would like to ask you some questions about Community Energy.

As explained in the attachment to this letter, Energise Gloucester is asking all candidates these questions and your answers will be published by us.

We are keen for your support in our program so if you would like to meet and discuss these issues and your response, we would be pleased to arrange this"

The questions relate to Community Energy in general and the Energise Gloucester projects specifically.

How would you support the concept of Community Energy through policy, technical and financial support for the following Energise Gloucester projects:

Community generation of alternative energy?
Energy efficiency audits for households?
Assistance for energy poor households to install solar systems?
Support for businesses to operate alternative energy generation systems?
Training courses for local technicians to operate these schemes?

Energise Gloucester is planning to build and operate a Community Solar farm as described in the attached brochure.

Do you support such a project?
How could you assist in financing the feasibility study?
What support could you give to get investors committed to the project?
Would you write public letters of support for the project?

Energise Gloucester wants to operate schemes in Gloucester to support solar generation on rental properties, and energy audits to assist households/businesses reduce their energy use/cost.

Do you support the concept of these projects?
How could you assist in the financing and operation of these projects?
Do you have any comments for Energise Gloucester?

Their Responses

We received the following responses:

NSW Greens - Tony Longeran

I have been aware of your group, without knowing details, and of CLEANaS, and love what you are doing. It is probably not my place to be giving guarantees to individual groups but obviously The Greens support the decentralisation and democratisation of energy supply and that obviously includes community owned renewable energy projects. This is copied from the policy document available online.
"31. Support the development of community and local government owned and operated wind farms and other renewable energy projects as a means to equitably share profits"

Unfortunately, I can't be more specific about what "support" entails, but I wish you every success. It would be nice to catch up with you at a candidates forum in Gloucester before the election.
Tony Lonergan (NSW Greens)

Country Labor - Melanie Dagg

Thank you for your letter. I will provide a response shortly, however, would like to acknowledge its receipt.
Kind regards, Melanie Dagg
No further response received.

National - Michael Johnsen

Michael Johnsen contacted us and organised to meet us in Gloucester in order to find out about Energise Gloucester. At that meeting, he expressed support for Energise Gloucester and its activities. He explicitly asked to be kept up-to-date with our projects and said he would be pleased to offer letters of support for any applications we make for government funding. Last week he sent us the details of the NSW Government Regional Community Energy Fund.
No written response received.

Shooter, Fishers and Farmers - Lee Watts

No response received.

My Response

As we did not get a lot of information from our local candidates I have looked at their party’s election promises regarding renewable energy. The table below is a summary of what I found relating specifically to household (HH) solar, battery systems and community energy.

Electricity Prices

Consumers in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are already paying between $100 and $200 more for electricity than the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission considers reasonable. Policy analysts at the McKell Institute have modelled the impact of wholesale gas prices on household power bills.

Without a significant reduction in wholesale gas prices, the McKell modelling finds households in NSW could be paying $434 more for electricity on average by the end of 2019. Households in Queensland are heading for a $313 price rise and Victorians could be paying $254 more.