Victorians plan energy boost

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 38

Victorians plan energy boost

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The Victorian Government wants to develop renewable energy sources to hold down other energy costs. A five-year plan for a 10 per cent boost in the contribution of renewable energy sources to the State’s economy was announced by the State’s Industry, Technology and Resources Minister, Mr Rob Fordham. His strategy on renewable energy included solar radiation, wind energy, biomass, hydro-electricity, wave energy, tidal energy and geothermal energy.

A number of renewable energy technologies were already more economically viable than energy from fossil fuels. “The development of these technologies will reduce energy consumption costs, improve the competitiveness of Victorian industry, and decrease peak loadings on gas and electricity systems, enabling the state Government to hold down gas and electricity prices,” he said. The strategy aimed to increase the economic viability of other renewable energy technologies.

“If half of the straw remaining after harvesting Victoria’s cereal crops could be economically converted to alcohol, it could substitute for almost one-third of the State’s total petrol requirements,” he said. Other points in the strategy included: © Promoting new home design features to cut average domestic energy use by 20 per cent by 1990. ® Financial help to encourage more solar heating for public and domestic swimming pools. 0 A feasibility study on a pilot programme to produce

alcohol from biomass such as cereal straw or sugar tubers. « • A joint Ministry of Hous- “ ing-Victorian Solar Energy ‘ Council programme to install solar water-heating on new public housing north of the Great Dividing Range in * early 1986. © A pilot project connecting the first wind-powered ielectric generator to the State Electricity ~ Commis- X; sion grid in 1986 at Black u Rock, south of Geelong. * @ Ministry of Housing en- •* ergy efficiency standards for new public housing by 1987. ?: