In 2017, AGL tried to revive the Dalton project by asking for the approval to be extended by another two years.<\/p>\n
It received 427 objections and several others mistakenly filed under \u2018support\u2019 and \u2018comment\u2019 \u2013 although like many of the objections to renewable energy projects today, many were form letters from people who withheld their names.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then-Goulburn MP Pro Goward objected, noting that extending the consent would mean the Dalton project could continue under by then-repealed planning rules, and it should be reassessed under the new system.<\/p>\n
AGL folded, telling the Dalton community that it was withdrawing the modification application because of the community response.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Dalton community has raised significant concerns about the Part 3A process which led to the approval of this project and the modification for an extension of time made in March 2017,\u201d the AGL statement said, as reported by local media in 2017.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThese concerns included environmental issues, visual impact, AGL\u2019s lack of social license, integrity and approach with the community, as well as the financial losses caused to Dalton residents who invested in property assuming AGL had decided not to proceed with the project.\u201d<\/p>\n
That second backdown has stiffened the spines of those in Dalton village who are preparing for round three.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Dalton community is united in opposition to this proposal. We\u2019ve done it before and are prepared to do it again,\u201d Camilleri says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not just saying \u201cnot in my backyard\u201d without alternatives. We understand the need for reliable power as coal plants retire. We simply believe there are better solutions than this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of us feel AGL should invest in truly clean energy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pull weight with renewables not gas<\/p>\n
The idea that the big gentailers should pull their weight by building out more generation, rather than just beefing up their portfolios with batteries, is a bugbear for many in the industry today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
AGL, alongside Origin and EnergyAustralia, have not been proactive about investing in renewable energy to replace their coal fire power plants \u2013 Origin\u2019s latest extension<\/a> of the life of the elderly Eraring coal station is a case in point.\u00a0<\/p>\n AGL demurs, saying it is investing in renewables, and indeed it did break the wind power financing drought last year with offtake agreements for the Palmer<\/a> and Waddi<\/a> projects, in South and Western Australia respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAGL plans to develop new electricity generation and firming projects across NSW ahead of our targeted closure of Bayswater Power Station by the end of 2033,\u201d the AGL spokesperson told Renew Economy.\u00a0<\/p>\n But to date those plans are minimal, be it fossil or renewable.<\/p>\n AGL\u2019s electricity generation development pipeline consists of seven wind, solar or pumped hydro projects, and three gas projects of which two are extensions.\u00a0<\/p>\n The three wind projects are Pottinger in NSW, a buy-out agreement for Hexham in Victoria, and Barn Hill in South Australia, totalling 2.6 gigawatts (GW), according to data from RenewMap and AGL.<\/p>\n It has one large scale solar project, the 231 MW solar arm of Pottinger.\u00a0<\/p>\n And three big pumped hydro projects proposed for NSW, although only the Muswellbrook project has been put into the planning system.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dalton, if the idea makes it past the wave of community opposition, would be the fourth in AGL\u2019s book and its only gas-fired generation in NSW, adding to an existing pipeline of 1.13GW of projects in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n What AGL \u2013 like Origin\u00a0 \u2013 is investing in are batteries.<\/p>\n The company has nine projects in various stages of planning through to commissioning \u2013 including at Liddell and Tomago \u2013 totalling 3.29 GW of capacity and 9.52 gigawatt hours (GWh) duration.<\/p>\n AGL argues that AEMO sees a need for 15 GW of gas in the National Energy Market (NEM) and that gas peakers are essential for system reliability and backup.\u00a0 But that estimate includes existing kit, and has already been revised downwards, because of the plunging cost and flexibility of battery storage.<\/p>\n And AGL \u2013 like others \u2013 has form in dumping gas generator proposals for big batteries. It\u2019s what it did at Tomago and what Alinta chose to do at Reeves Plains in South Australia.<\/p>\n
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