Will renewable energy generate cheaper electricity for locals?

Dear Editor,

Please allow me to give your readers my thoughts on the energy debate currently being raged around town.

I look forward to reading Letters to the Editor each week in your paper and admire the passion of your readers.

I was interested to read the report of the recent public energy forum (I was not there) and wonder about our Shire Council, with councillors elected to represent the people of the Shire.

According to The Grazier report there were 29 people who spoke about the venture, 26 were against and I am assuming the other three were for it.

Yet it has been approved by Council.

I am not privy to the economic and social benefits of the project but I wonder if the people of the Shire have truly been listened to by our elected representatives.

I am currently with Origin Energy, as undoubtedly many of your readers are also.

I recently received a letter from them re their proposed price changes to take effect from 1 July 2025.

I currently work in retail and can fully understand the need to increase prices to keep up with inflation and rising business costs, however what I cannot understand is how costs can rise by so much.

In the 12 months to April 2025 the CPI has remained steady at 2.4 per cent.

How do Origin, and indeed other suppliers, justify increases of between 8.8 and 14.1 per cent for the various tariffs?

Coupled with these increases they also are dropping my Solar feed in price by 40 per cent.

This means after 1 July my charges go up on average 10 per cent whilst they reduce mine by 40 per cent.

Surely this is price gouging at its worst.

Origin’s new Peak energy charge is 50.831 cents per kWh yet they are only offering me three cents per kWh.

After reselling my solar inputs, they are skimming a 1594 per cent profit out me.

The reason they are dropping my input price is because of the large volume of solar energy being exported during the middle of the day.

If this is so, why are we seeing numerous solar farms being constructed in our area. Solar only works during the day!

Reading this, it seems that they are not needed.

Surely if the major political parties are committed to green energy, then they should ensure that the energy providers buy for at least 25 – 50 per cent at what they resell for.

At least that gives the average homeowner some incentive to go green too.

Ten years ago, solar inputs were as high as 60 cents. Now only three cents.

In the same time period, charges have risen over 20 per cent.

How can either part justify this?

Hay is the nearest town to the South West Riverina renewable energy corridor, yet its population is getting shafted with rising costs whilst the energy providers are lining their pockets with increased revenue.

Sincerely Yours

Neil Headon.

Editor’s note: The forum referred to by Mr Headon was a four-hour long hearing with the NSW Government Independent Planning Commission, held in Hay and also in Deniliquin.

No vote was cast, nor was there the opportunity to vote for either party.

At the hearing, Hay Shire Council confirmed its support for Pottinger Wind Farm, and the developer, Someva which is a wholly Australian-owned company.

This support by no means guarantees the applicant will receive the green light to go ahead as it is an application for a State Significant Development, not a Local Government Development application.

The NSW Government will make the final decision.

The Independent Planning Commission process is the final stage of a three- year long planning process that included an opportunity for the community to object to the process.

Of the 83 objections received to the project, nine were from the local community.

Council, through Mayor Carol Oataway spoke in favour of the application, as did the applicant, Tim Mead of Someva.

Of the 27 who spoke against renewable energy, or asked questions, four were Hay residents: John Clark, Sandy Symons, Annette Smith and Judy Jarratt.

The remaining 23 represented individuals and groups such as the Billboard Battalions, Wimmera Mallee Environmental and Agricultural Protection Association, Rainforest Reserves Australia, the Australian Uyghur Women’s Association and the Yass Landscape Guardians.

Chair of Nuclear for Australia, Adi Paterson also spoke, by phone hook-up.

No windfarm application has been approved for the South West Renewable Energy Zone, and only one solar farm is currently operational within the Hay district.