Pressure is building on the Morrison government to deliver on offshore wind, after Gippsland Nationals MP Darren Chester faced questions on QandA and regional climate groups raised the alarm on the climate crisis during the past fortnight. It raises the question of the whether the Coalition government and Energy Minister Angus Taylor can deliver on offshore wind in 2020? Appearing on QandA on Tuesday 29th August, Darren Chester MP faced questions from Victorian seafarer Melissa McMullen, who pointed to the opportunity to build the Star of the South offshore wind farm off the coast of Chester’s ..read more

Image source: RenewEconomy (12 August 2019) [1] One of the claims we continue to see used by anti-wind campaigners in an attempt to turn people against wind farms is the claim that wind affects property prices — but what’s really going on with wind power and property values? Yes 2 Renewables has undertaken a review of research on the topic to determine if there is in fact any relationship between wind farms and property prices, both globally and locally here in Australia. One of the most comprehensive studies was undertaken in 2014 by government agency RenewableUK and the Centre for Economic ..read more

National environment group Friends of the Earth have welcomed the referral of Australia’s first offshore wind farm the Star of the South project to state and federal planning and environment ministers, and says building renewable energy could be key to the post-Covid recovery effort.  “The Star of the South offshore wind farm would be a game changer for new renewable energy supply and taking action on climate change in Victoria. It will create thousands of jobs and mark the beginning of a whole new sector” said Pat Simons, Friends of the Earth’s Yes 2 Renewables Coordinator. If it goes ah ..read more

While hundreds of thousands rallied for climate action across the country this September, momentum is building for Australia’s offshore wind proposal, with consultation underway into the Star of the South across Gippsland in Victoria. Over the past fortnight public information sessions were held in Morwell, Lakes Entrance, Yarram, Woodside, Leongatha and Port Franklin about the next steps for the project. Yes 2 Renewables attended sessions in Morwell, Yarram and Woodside, which were well attended by workers, residents, farmers, and fishers from the region. Gippsland climate blogger has ..read more

After years of disarray in national energy policy, Victoria is taking the lead on wind and solar power. And this leadership has put Victoria on the map for offshore wind. A recent report by the Clean Energy Regulator shows that Victoria is attracting as much as 43 percent of Australia’s investment in the wind and solar sectors. This outcome is due in no small part to the successful Victorian Renewable Energy Target.  While the renewable energy investment currently flowing to the state’s west, where most of Victoria’s wind energy is built, and the state’s north, which is attracting large-s ..read more

The increase to Victoria’s Renewable Energy Target (VRET) to 50% by 2030 passed the first hurdle this week, with the Andrews government’s bill successfully passing in the Victorian Lower House on Thursday afternoon. It’s a good step — with the federal government MIA on energy and climate policy, upping Victoria’s Renewable Energy Target will bring certainty to the renewable energy sector, creating a long pipeline of work in wind and solar. That is good news for climate jobs. We’re in a climate crisis and rolling out renewable energy at speed and scale will be critical to decarbonising t ..read more

For years, community champions of wind and solar power have been forced to listen to right-wing politicians and shock jocks like Tony Abbott, Craig “Dead Cat” Kelly, Scott Morrison, crooked Angus Taylor, Alan Jones and others that rant and rave about baseload power while spreading misinformation about clean renewable energy. We’re calling it: ongoing attempts to bully the champions of renewable energy must end. Yesterday it was revealed that Australia’s polluting greenhouse gas emissions have reached the highest on record, driven by rises in the electricity system. Yet instead of the Mor ..read more

After the election of the backward Morrison government last month, the need for passionate, grassroots campaigns for renewable energy and climate jobs is now more important than ever. Here in Victoria, the Yes 2 Renewables collective is fighting for climate jobs because our campaign is fundamentally about transforming the economy for people and planet. If you think that’s awesome, sign up as an Active Friend of Yes 2 Renewables, or make a once-off donation. Last week the first sod turned at the Berrybank wind farm in Western Vic. The wind turbine hubs will be built at the former For ..read more

With Australia’s first offshore windfarm Star of the South capturing the community’s imagination, Yes 2 Renewables made a trip to the Latrobe Valley last week to get an update about the proposal and hear what people in the region think. At a Renewable Energy Network meeting hosted by the Gippsland Climate Change Network (GCCN), Star of the South was at the top of the agenda, with Andy Evans co-founder of Star of the South providing an update about the offshore wind farm and what it means for the Latrobe Valley. Members of the local community, and leaders in the region, responded exceed ..read more

After months of delay by the federal Coalition, Australia’s first major offshore wind farm, the Star of the South Energy Project proposed off the South Gippsland coast, has received approval for an exploration licence. Energy Minister Angus Taylor has bowed to community pressure, and finally signed off on the exploration license for the landmark Star of the South offshore wind farm. The capitulation comes after many months of delay. This is a critical milestone in our campaign, and one we can all be proud of. In the past few weeks dozens of community members have stepped up the pressure on Tay ..read more