Victoria is likely to be a major beneficiary of the new
mandatory renewable energy target, according to an assessment
of wind energy prospects by Australia's
electricity generation industry.
In a presentation to a New South Wales energy conference, the
National Generators Forum has estimated that the expanded MRET
to be introduced by the Rudd Government may require as much as
5,000 megawatts of wind capacity to be developed in
Victoria.
The Government's policy requires 20 percent of national
electricity consumption to be sourced from renewable energy by
2020.
The NGF estimates that this will require 60,000 gigawatt hours
of power to come from renewable energy in 2020. Of this, it
says, 15,000 GWh can be sourced from existing renewable
projects, almost all hydro-electric. Another 9,500 GWh will
come from projects developed under the Howard Government's
MRET. This leaves 35,500 GWh to be provided annually from 2020
from new renewable sources.
