A PhD candidate at Charles Darwin University’s Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods is investigating the Northern Territory’s potential to become a major provider of solar and wind power.
Billee McGinley’s research focuses on identifying suitable land in the NT for utility-scale onshore solar and wind energy projects that would have minimal conflicts with biodiversity conservation efforts.
McGinley emphasised the urgency of transitioning rapidly to renewable energy sources to address the existential threat of climate change.
“Wind and solar energy, cheaper than energy produced from fossil fuels, is likely to dominate the global energy mix in coming decades,” she stated.
“In comparison, fossil fuels cause much more damage than wind and solar, not only to our climate but also to biodiversity and human health.”
The recent ABC 4 Corners report “Wind Wars” highlighted the importance of strategic regional planning for large-scale solar and wind energy opportunities in the Northern Territory.
McGinley notes that much of the NT is highly suitable for solar energy production, and there are also large areas with significant wind power potential.
“The NT can generate much more renewable energy than it needs domestically, with the potential to transmit renewable energy to nearby countries and regions of Australia that cannot meet their renewable energy needs locally,” she explained, citing the Suncable solar farm project near Elliot, which will transmit energy to Singapore via undersea cables.
Additionally, McGinley points to the opportunity to harness wind and solar energy to produce green hydrogen, a low-carbon fuel that can be liquefied and exported, further contributing to global greenhouse gas emission reductions.
The Office of the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner reported that community opposition to wind farms predominantly occurs during the planning phase.
Regional planning is underway to identify areas with wind power generation potential, drawing attention to a “sweet spot” in the arid regions between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, where the potential for wind and solar power and green hydrogen production appear to coincide.
However, McGinley emphasised the importance of considering potential conflicts with conservation and other land uses in these regions during the resource planning process.
Failing to do so could result in conflicts similar to those occurring in New South Wales, as presented in the 4 Corners report, leading to debilitating delays and poor community acceptance of wind farm projects.
“Continuing with [the] expansion of fossil fuels or moving to more expensive and riskier nuclear energy is not an option,” McGinley asserted.
“Comprehensive, collaborative strategic planning for large-scale wind and solar in the NT that will have the least conflicts is key to successfully harnessing large-scale solar and wind energy opportunities in the NT.”
