Meet the Latrobe Valley locals embracing clean energy

A year after Hazelwood power station’s closure, some Latrobe Valley locals are reporting experiencing clearer air and bluer skies. For Lorraine Bull, who lives just across the freeway from Hazelwood in Morwell, the results were immediate. She was no longer breathing its toxic pollution, and two days later her long-term sinus problems improved dramatically, “I had not even acknowledged that I was affected by the unseen pollution” she said.

But of course it isn’t all blue skies in Morwell. We ran a local online survey to hear what Latrobe Valley locals had to say about their experience. Community members told us that families and businesses are dealing with serious economic and employment challenges with some employers abandoning the region.

At the same time jobs are growing in the health and solar industries, and our survey of local community members showed that people were noticing an impact from increased government support for economic transition.

Clean energy is the future

When we asked what industries they were hopeful would develop in the Latrobe Valley, almost everyone said renewable energy.

The good news is that there is huge potential for growing the renewable energy industry in the Latrobe Valley and making use of the existing skills and infrastructure. And there are already incredible local people and groups working hard to create jobs in renewable energy in the Latrobe Valley.

Earthworker (pictured) is about to launch their Energy Manufacturing Cooperative, a worker owned collective which will manufacture and sell high quality solar hot water technology at their Morwell factory. The Gippsland Climate Change Network is now host to a Community Power Hub, which will work to bring community-owned renewable projects to the Latrobe Valley. Groups like the Latrobe Valley Sustainability Group and Voices of the Valley have also successfully advocated for the health of the community, demanding safe and proper mine rehabilitation and generating strong local interest in sustainable development for the region.

The Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA)

The Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA), a transition initiative of the Victorian government, is also making a difference. Since it was established last year the authority has helped to place 150 Hazelwood workers into jobs at other power stations, created a back to work scheme to enable local businesses to hire and train unemployed people, launched a retrofit 1000 homes with energy efficiency upgrades and solar as well as providing ongoing transition support for all Hazelwood workers and their families.

The LVA has also faced a number of challenges. It was not created until after Hazelwood’s closure was announced, meaning it’s had to play catch up from day one, and many residents still do not feel aware of or involved in its operations. It only has four years of funding, doesn’t have independent decision-making power, and is not a statutory authority so is vulnerable to changes in government.

Looking forward

Based on the community consultation and our history of working for a just and fair transition in the Latrobe Valley, Environment Victoria has developed three core policies for the Latrobe Valley that we are taking to all candidates vying to be elected this November:

1. Allocate 10% of Victoria’s Renewable Energy Target exclusively to the Latrobe Valley: including bringing online 500 MW of new renewable energy projects in the region and supporting the associated jobs and infrastructure.
2. Expand energy efficiency programs across Gippsland: commit to upgrade 78,000 houses across the region by creating jobs and investment in this growing industry, and helping to reduce power bills.
3. Make the Latrobe Valley Authority a permanent statutory authority and expand its funding and mandate: this would involve giving the LVA more control over planning, budget and implementing transition efforts over the next 10+ years.

We’d love to know what you think of these policies. Please drop us a line at c.nadel@environmentvictoria.org.au if you have comments or questions.