The mid-west of Western Australia has a wealth of renewable energy resources and the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) electricity network must be improved to ensure the State can make use of the renewable energy according to Australia's largest state-based green business body.

Mid-West "broadband" needed for renewable energy.

The mid-west of Western Australia has a wealth of renewable energy resources and the WA Government must improve the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) electricity network to ensure Western Australia can reap the renewable energy from where it is found, according to Australia's largest state-based green business body.

'The role of government must be to ensure the state is sustainable, and what better way to start than providing energy infrastructure to access to the State's boundless sustainable resources, energy that is greenhouse-emissions free' says Dr Ray Wills, WA Sustainable Energy Association Chief Executive.

'In the last century government built grids to where the energy sources of last century - first to the coalfields in Collie, and then gas pipelines from the North West Shelf gas fields,' says Dr Wills.

'Now we need to build transmission lines from where the 21st century energy resources - all manner of renewable energies - are found. And the mid-west can offer limitless renewable energy in the forms of wind, wave and geothermal. Biomass too will be essential in developing a diversity of energy supply and offering security of supply in the state's electricity generation.'

'So - an upgrade to the Midwest power lines in Western Australia need not take Collie coal power to Geraldton, but rather must be used to gather energy from Midwest regions such as say Morawa or Mullewa to deliver solar thermal derived energy to Oakajee and south to Perth,' says Dr Wills.

The Federal Government has proposed in the May 2009 Budget up to $1.3 billion in funding for four solar thermal projects - Premier Colin Barnett should position Western Australia to bid for two of these projects, one for the Pilbara and one for the northern end of the SWIS.

'Electricity supply systems are like broadband - you have to build the network first to allow the advantages to be delivered. 'Broadband' electricity in the Midwest will ensure the region's enormous capacity for renewable energy to be tapped.'


WA Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA) Media Release - 30 May 2009

Media Contact:
Dr Ray Wills 0430 365 607

Editors notes:
1. The Western Australian Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA) is a chamber of businesses boasting with a continuously growing business membership now with over 250 industry members from a diversity of businesses, and now by far the largest state-based industry body of its kind in Australia. www.wasea.com.au.