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Category: Solar Energy / Alternative Energy / Environment / Business, Economics and Finance / Federal Government / Government and Politics / Activism and Lobbying

Clean Energy Fund 'creates uncertainty' for existing SA renewable proposals

Thursday, 24 Mar 2016 03:48:21

Funds given as grants will now be considered loans under the changes, SA's Energy Minister says. (Robert Cianflone: Getty Images)

Changes to the Federal Government's energy agencies have created uncertainty in South Australia's renewable energy industry, State Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis says.

Key points:

  • Changes 'turn grants into loans'
  • Business models to be affected, SA Energy Minister warns
  • Union says clean energy fund is 'too little, too late'

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday announced he would retain the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which former prime minister Tony Abbott tried to dismantle.

The agencies will manage a $1 billion Clean Energy Innovation Fund (CEIF) using money previously allocated to them.

But Mr Koutsantonis said the changes meant funds administrated as grants would now be considered loans.

He said this would affect business models for proposals such as solar, wind, tidal or hot rocks energy generation.

"That has to be changed now because the money has to be paid back, so they [the Federal Government] are creating a lot of uncertainty," Mr Koutsantonis said.

Clean energy fund 'too little, too late'

The Australian Services Union said the clean energy fund was "too little, too late" to help SA's Alinta Energy workforce.

Some 250 workers lost their jobs when Alinta closed the Leigh Creek coal mine in central SA last year, while another 185 face the axe when it closes its Port Augusta power stations in May.

A solar thermal plant in Port Augusta was mentioned as a potential beneficiary for the CEIF.

SA branch secretary Joe Scales said many workers had already left the area to find work elsewhere.

"For the workforce at Alinta Energy, we needed this kind of discussion 12 months ago at least and prime minister Abbott and Prime Minister Turnbull have been totally missing in action that entire time," he said.

"If this solar thermal power station goes ahead, it's absolutely the case that the majority of the workforce will have already either moved to other jobs or moved out of town looking for work."

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