Victoria's Allan government made a significant announcement on Tuesday 20th November -- it will build Victoria's first publicly owned solar and battery project in Horsham in the state's north-west.
Dubbed the SEC Renewable Energy Park, the $370 million project is the second major public move into publicly owned energy since the government announced the revival of the State Electricity Commission, following the government's investment in a utility scale battery storage project near Melton.
According to the government, the project will come online in 2027 & will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 51,000 homes. The state government says the project will be used to provide cheap, 100 per cent renewable electricity to public schools, hospitals & offices.
As the first publicly-owned energy generator in decades, the announcement marks a turn against the years of privatisation, and shows a pathway for how governments can rebuild public control of essential infrastructure and services.
At Friends of the Earth, we believe renewable energy is the best form of energy, and the best form of renewable energy is either publicly or community owned. Here's how our Yes2Renewables organisers have responded to the news:
Wendy Farmer, Yes2Renewables Gippsland Organiser: