22 February 2021
Riverina farmer in Canberra to back renewables for regional renewal
Monday, 22 February 2021.
Riverina farmer Gemma Meier joined a farmer delegation at Parliament House in Canberra this morning to call on the government to use clean, renewable energy to revitalise regional Australia.
The visit coincides with the introduction of the Australian local Power Agency Bill into Parliament.
Gemma, who runs a mixed grazing and dryland cropping farm east of Narrandera, said: “We have a 10kw domestic system but we’re also going to be the site of the Haystack Solar Garden. It’s the first large scale solar garden being built in Australia it enables people locked out of rooftop solar to purchase a plot in a solar garden off site and have the benefits of being able to purchase through a common retailer.”
The Haystacks Solar Garden will be around 1.5MW, generating around 3.7G of community owned energy per year.
“I’m here because this is just a really important bill, with such broad opportunity for small and large investment in the renewable sector. My local community is perfectly positioned for medium scale, community-owned renewable energy developments. These would allow us to do our bit towards climate change, as well as creating jobs and wealth for the region.”
Also at Parliament House, Farmers for Climate Action chair Charlie Prell, a NSW sheep farmer who hosts wind turbines on his property, said: “The renewable energy transformation currently underway is a once-in-a-century opportunity to revitalise regional Australia.
“We must have a plan that ensures the roll-out creates local jobs, increases the autonomy of the regions, lowers electricity costs and leads to the creation of a new and lucrative export industry.
“The Local Power Plan outlines a clear strategy for doing this. It ensures that regional communities will have buy-in, some control, and a reasonable level of ownership of the new generation infrastructure.”
Farmers for Climate Action is a movement of more than 5000 farmers and agricultural leaders working to ensure that farmers, who are on the frontlines of climate change, are part of its solution.
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Fiona Davis, [email protected] or 0434 505 188.
22 February 2021
Farmers in Canberra to back renewables for regional renewal
Monday, 22 February 2021. Farmers are at Parliament House in Canberra this morning calling on the government to use clean, renewable energy to revitalise regional Australia.
Their visit coincides with the introduction of the Australian Local Power Agency Bill into Parliament.
Farmers for Climate Action chair Charlie Prell, a NSW sheep farmer who hosts wind turbines on his property, said: “The renewable energy transformation currently underway is a once-in-a-century opportunity to revitalise regional Australia. We must have a plan that ensures the roll-out creates local jobs, increases the autonomy of the regions, lowers electricity costs and leads to the creation of a new and lucrative export industry.
“The Local Power Plan outlines a clear strategy for doing this. It ensures that regional communities will have buy-in, some control, and a reasonable level of ownership of the new generation infrastructure.”
Narromine cotton and wheat farmer and founder of the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference and Expo Karin Stark said: “On our farm in the Central West, the use of 500kW of solar power for pumping has significantly reduced our costs while saving 500 tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere every year.
“This type of development is future proofing our farm and for landholders able to host or part own, large scale renewable energy projects, or for communities able to invest in local power, this only adds to diversifying incomes and building resilience.
“When local communities become active participants in the transformation and invest in renewable energy projects or build and own their own power, it means profits stay within the community.”
Farmers for Climate Action is a movement of more than 5000 farmers and agricultural leaders working to ensure that farmers, who are on the frontlines of climate change, are part of its solution.
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview with Charlie Prell or Karin Stark, please contact Fiona Davis, [email protected] or 0434 505 188.
Media interviews also available with:
- Narrandera farmer Gemma Meier
- Harden farmer and Farmers for Climate Action farmer outreach officer Peter Holding
