An internationally renowned expert on solar energy will visit Goulburn to speak about opportunities he sees for renewables in the region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
READ MORE:
Professor Andrew Blakers, from the School of Engineering at the Australian National University (ANU), will speak at Goulburn's Performing Arts Centre starting at 7pm on Tuesday, March 14. He has been invited by community action outfit, The Goulburn Group (TGG).
The engineering 'Nobel Prize' winner's research work has been aimed at empowering communities, landholders and local councils when negotiating with renewable energy developers.
Blakers' address comes at a time when a number of large solar farms have been proposed for the Goulburn region, including at Gundary, Tirrannaville and Marulan.
Together with three colleagues, Professor Blakers has just won the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering - the world's most prestigious engineering prize and known colloquially as the "Nobel prize" for the sector.
He has been recognised for his work as lead inventor of the silicon solar cell technology that has seen the spread of high performance, low cost solar electricity throughout the world. Recent published research with colleagues has identified sites around Australia that are most suitable for wind and solar projects.
One of its key findings is: "A particularly attractive region for solar and wind farms in NSW is the Goulburn/Lithgow district. It's well served by transmission and has good wind and solar resources."
As well, says Professor Blakers, our area has good resources for pumped hydro projects, where water is pumped uphill during the day using renewable energy and can be drawn on at night to generate electricity, providing an important solution to storing power.
The research includes so called heat maps that allow anyone to focus in detail on areas to see how well suited they are to renewable energy. The aim is to give communities, landholders and local councils the knowledge to negotiate with renewable energy developers, reducing the imbalance in favour of renewable energy developers.
The meeting will hear from two other speakers. Parkes mayor, Ken Keith, hosts a solar farm on his grazing property. He runs sheep with the solar panels and says the combination has been a great success.
Julia McKay, President of Goulburn Mulwaree Landcare, will speak on the research she has conducted into agrovoltaics - growing vegetables and other horticulture on solar farms, a practice increasingly being adopted overseas.
The Goulburn Group (TGG) is hosting the meeting with the support of Community Energy for Goulburn - which is building Goulburn's community solar farm - Community Voice for Hume and Landcare Goulburn Mulwaree.
A TGG spokesman said the group believed Goulburn could leverage its advantage in renewable energy to become "a centre of excellence in the technology needed to address climate change and thereby build a strong economic future."
"Together with Community Voice for Hume (CV4H), TGG wants to ensure that there are significant benefits from hosting solar farms in terms of jobs, training, cheaper electricity and a community benefit fund that provides ongoing support for local sporting, arts, environmental and other volunteer groups and for the disadvantaged," the spokesman said.
TGG has argued directly to the companies involved that they need to make greater efforts to meet the concerns of residents near the proposed solar farms, including by providing adequate compensation.
Admission to the March 14 meeting is free but those attending are asked to register with Eventbrite at the following link. https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/public-meeting-on-goulburns-renewable-energy-futuretickets-561021218567?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Did you know the Goulburn Post is now offering breaking news alerts and a daily email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up below.
