Fed: Fed govt to blame for wind factory closure - Democrats

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2006
Fed: Fed govt to blame for wind factory closure - Democrats

CANBERRA, Aug 25 AAP - The closure of a wind turbine factory in Tasmania has dashed
prospects of Australia developing a renewable energy industry, the Australian Democrats
say.

Democrats leader Lyn Allison also today blamed the federal government's refusal to
expand the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) for the decision by Danish manufacturer
Vestas to close its factory at Wynyard, in the state's north.

The $15 million plant employs 65 people and manufactures blade hubs and nacelles (casings)
for its wind turbines.

"The closure of a wind turbine factory in north-west Tasmania is a great blow to Tasmania
and dashed any hope of Australia developing its own renewable energy industry," Senator
Allison said in a statement.

"The federal government is squarely to blame having ignored pleas to extend and expand
MRET and warnings from the industry that no further progress in getting major renewable
energy projects off the ground will be made after 2007."

She said that, as a percentage of Australia's energy generated, renewables had in fact
gone backwards while the federal government squandered millions in propping up the coal
industry.

The MRET, established in 2001, sets a target of 9,500 gigawatt hours of electricity
power from renewable energy sources by 2010.

After a review in 2004, the government resisted urges to increase the target and kept
it at the same level.

AAP dep/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: WIND DEMOCRATS

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