Question mark over grid project I
BY DEAN LAWSON
t remains unclear whether the WimmeraMallee is in the hunt to be part of State Government plans to develop grid-scale batteries in western Victoria.
Latest official comment from the government was that assessments for large-scale battery storage were underway after the government received about 100 expressions of interest for the project. But further details were unavailable based on commercial-in-confidence negotiations. All energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio was prepared to say was that the goverment was making sure Victoria was equipped with the next generation of energy technologies to support a more resilient energy system. The government announced early this year it had identified the north-west of the state, in particular Horsham and Bendigo, and the southwest, including Terang, as priority locations for battery-based power storage. At the time, it called on the private sector for expressions of interest to build new batteries in western Victoria where the Australian Energy Market Operator had identified opportunities to improve electricity grid reliability. The project brief called for proposals that could readily be delivered in the transmission and distribution network to support grid reliability. The government announced in January it would commit $5-million as part of the competitive tender process. Expressions of interest closed on March 1 and the government planning schedule involved working with Australian Renewable Energy Agency and Australian Energy Market Opera-
“The Labor government needs to come out and tell us what has happened with this $25-million commitment they made and why their original plan has failed”
– David Southwick
tor to sign contracts in June, for installation to happen from July to November and the battery to be operational for next summer. Wimmera Development Association seized the opportunity, announcing it planned to assess how it could help in any partnerships that would encourage the project to occur in the Wimmera. But the Victorian Opposition has jumped on the issue, claiming the government had ‘gone silent’ on a $25-million commitment to deploy grid-scale battery-storage facilities in western Victoria. Opposition energy spokesman David Southwick accused minister D’Ambrosio of a backflip and ‘refusing to take responsibility’. He said construction of two 20-megawatt batteries was due to start in August to be ready by January, but commissioning of diesel generators over summer was ‘an admission of failure to secure energy supply to the state’. “With only six weeks to deadline for completion of the batteries it seems as though Labor has yet again failed to guarantee Victorian energy supply,” he said. “The Labor government needs to come out and tell us what has happened with this $25-million commitment they made and why their original plan has failed.”
REWARD: Chris Smales, Blue Pyrenees Estate, Allen and Andrea Hart, Dogrock, Tom Guthrie, Grampians Estate, and Hamish Thompson, Best’s, at Victorian Wine Show awards.
Winery awards success Grampians and Pyrenees wineries have won accolades at a Victorian Wine Show awards lunch at Mitchelton Winery. Best’s Wines collected two trophies – for best riesling of show with its 2017 Great Western Riesling as well as best cabernet sauvignon of show for its 2016 Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon. The results followed on from a 2017 Western Victorian Wine Challenge where the same riesling won judges best wine of show as well as best riesling. Best’s spokesman Hamish Thomson said the quality and success of Grampians wines had never been greater. “We are thrilled to be part of the region’s ongoing excellence in wine quality,” he said. Best’s riesling was also a fi-
nalist in the inaugural premier’s trophy which placed the top wines from each of Victoria’s 13 regional wine shows against each other. Another Grampians stalwart was Grampians Estate, which won a trophy in a museum class for its 2006 St Ethels Shiraz. This wine has collected many accolades across the years and ends a stellar year for the Great Western winery. Pyrenees counterparts in Blue Pyrenees and Dogrock wineries also enjoyed trophy success to take the awards tally to five for the region. Blue Pyrenees won the coveted best shiraz trophy with its 2014 Section One Shiraz to claim bragging rites as the state’s top wine of this variety. Blue Pyrenees has also en-
joyed a momentous year with a trophy for best cabernet sauvignon with its 2013 Richardson at the Royal Adelaide wine show and best sparkling shiraz at the Australian Sparkling Wine Show. Pyrenees minnow Dogrock winery also chipped in with a trophy for best other red varietal for their 2016 Dogrock Grenache. Winemakers Allen and Andrea Hart were ecstatic with the result. “It’s a variety that is often neglected, but with a grenache winning the coveted Jimmy Watson trophy at the recent Melbourne wine show I think people are finally taking it seriously,” Mr Hart said.
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