Greens Call for Action on Biomass
Friday 23 August 2013
Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam and Greens WA spokesperson on Climate Change and Energy, Robin Chapple MLC, today slammed government apathy towards biomass as an energy source in WA.
Senator Ludlam said “Recent reports from WA’s wheatbelt point to frustration with the farcical lack of action on the mallee plantation biomass energy scheme.
“Farmers, acting in good faith with the backing of previous administrations, have now found themselves left high-and-dry – faced with the awful prospect of ploughing their trees into the ground, while the purpose-built biomass energy plant sits idly by, gathering dust.
“The Greens ‘Energy2029’ report, commissioned by my office, refers to a 2011 study which found that 10% of WA’s grain-growing region planted with oil mallees could produce power equivalent to around 17% of annual electricity generation on the main grid.
Mr Chapple continued, “Biomass is a proven renewable energy, used widely around the world – here in WA, there is vast potential from oil mallees grown in the wheatbelt, along with crop residues and sustainable forestry residues.
“There is another biomass crisis looming in the Great Southern, with the imminent destruction of huge reserves of blue gums, stranded by the collapse of various so-called ‘managed investment schemes’.
“Around 50,000 hectares of these plantations are set to be bulldozed and burned – enough fuel for a biomass plant to run for about 20 years, potentially generating anything up to 15 or 20 megawatts!
“And yet government inertia when it comes to anything related to renewable energy seems set to consign this resource to the bonfire.
“There is just not the foresight in this current government to allow any meaningful support for renewable projects, while their fossil-fuel powered cousins continue to get the inside running.
“Minister Nahan, with his newly-espoused enthusiasm for renewable energy, now has the chance to put rhetoric to action and step in to fix this mess”, concluded Mr Chapple.
Energy 2029 plan: http://www.greenswa.net.au/energy2029
