Australia target can be met by wind

AUSTRALIA: Australia's wind industry alone can fulfill the country's renewable energy target (RET) of 41TWh by 2020, a report by development and wind mapping company Windlab has found.

by David Weston 2 October 2014

Australia's wind capacity can meet the renewable energy target

Windlab's WindScape Institute found that to reach the 2020 target, there would need to be 8GW of newly installed wind capacity, without the additional of other renewable energy projects.

The report states that Australia already has in the pipeline 8GW of wind projects approved and ready for construction.

It also acknowledges the 4GW pipeline of wind capacity currently operational or under construction in Australia.

Director of the Windscape Institute, Dr Nathan Steggel said expansion of Australia's wind industry should be able to go ahead without any barriers. The report makes the assumption that the RET will continue, and that cuts to carbon emissions will be legislated in the future.

Last month, a review into the RET made two recommendations to the government to change the subsidy scheme. One of the recommendations suggested closing the programme off to new participants.

Windlab chief executive Roger Price said it is "inconceivable" to consider changing the RET.