Response to new large-scale Gippsland renewable energy park

In response to the announcement of a large scale new renewable energy park to be built in Gippsland in a joint venture between the CEFC and Octopus Australia with backing from Superannuation Fund Hostplus – Laura Melville, Environment Victoria community organising program manager said today:

“We welcome this announcement that Gippsland is to host a new renewable energy park, and acknowledge the support of the Federal government’s CEFC and private industry in financially backing this $23 million project.”

“We also acknowledge the support of Hostplus, one of the largest Superannuation investors in Australia, as part of an exciting trend that is seeing private industry stepping up and accelerating the clean energy transition in Australia.”

“We know from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) that our region is likely to be out of the business of burning brown coal within the next decade.”

“This new renewable energy hub that will develop large-scale energy generation from solar and wind farms, as well as expanding battery storage while creating 400 local clean energy jobs is welcome and timely news as the clean energy transition accelerates.”

“Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley have produced electricity for the state of Victoria for decades. It is exciting to see projects like the Gippsland Renewable Energy Park build on this proud history as we shift to clean energy sources.”

“The majority of people in the Latrobe Valley now acknowledge that the shift away from coal is crucial and inevitable to protect our climate.”

“Projects like this Renewable Energy Hub will help provide certainty and assurances to local communities that the impacts of this transition are minimised, and that the local community will reap the benefits in terms of jobs in new clean energy industries.”