Solar, winds of change on way

Armidale could become an ideal site for wind, solar and biomass energy production, according to experts who attended a local forum last Friday.

More than 80 people attended the invitation-only forum at the Ex-Services club, which focused on the benefits that may arise from developing renewable energy in regional Australia.Forum organiser Paul Cruickshank said local businesses needed to be proactive in order to benefit from growth in wind and solar energy.

"Unless local businesses are proactive in putting their hand up, it’s easier for developers to do the fly-in, fly-out syndrome we see happening with the fossil fuels," he said. "But if local industry can present a package of benefits, you can locally source your electricians, you can source your earthworks, you can source all your management skills within the region here, and we’ve got TAFE and the university here." The forum covered a broad range of issues related to renewable energy, including raising awareness of its benefits, attracting developers and providing the workforce with necessary skills. The keynote speaker at the event was the University of Technology, Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures director Professor Stuart White. He said regions had the potential to outstrip the cities in developing renewable energy infrastructure.

"The regions could really start to show the cities the way to go in this regard and start to develop industries in ways that could start to outstrip the cities in terms of developing industries, increasing skills and developingjobs," he said