Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth NSW 10 Mar 2012

Many seek green future at clean energy forums

CLEAN energy forums held in Tamworth over the past two days suggest there is a fair bit of interest among local people in a greener future, New England MP Tony Windsor says. Mr Windsor said a couple of hundred people attended Thursday nights public forum and the same figures again were seen at yesterdays school forum. I was really pleased and the feedback was very good, too, Mr Windsor said. MrWindsor organised the events in conjunction with the Australian Conservation Foundation to inform residents about the opportunities and advantages the clean energy industry is anticipated to provide. Attendees heard from a range of individuals and organisations involved in the clean energy industry, including Armidale entrepreneur Adam Blakester from New EnglandWind, who hopes to develop a community-owned wind farm. Topics included clean energy projects already under way in Australia and around the world; the carbon price; how money can be made from the carbon farming initiative; biogas plants and employment opportunities. Mr Windsor said people in the local areas, including farmers, were already investigating carbon farming and more sustainable practices. Others such as Mr Blakester and Pacific Hydro, the developer of the Moree solar farm, were looking to take advantage of the increasing shift to renewable energy, he said.

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Many seek green future at clean energy forums

CLEAN energy forums held in Tamworth over the past two days suggest there is a fair bit of interest among local people in a greener future, New England MP Tony Windsor says. Mr Windsor said a couple of hundred people attended Thursday nights public forum and the same figures again were seen at yesterdays school forum. I was really pleased and the feedback was very good, too, Mr Windsor said. MrWindsor organised the events in conjunction with the Australian Conservation Foundation to inform residents about the opportunities and advantages the clean energy industry is anticipated to provide. Attendees heard from a range of individuals and organisations involved in the clean energy industry, including Armidale entrepreneur Adam Blakester from New EnglandWind, who hopes to develop a community-owned wind farm. Topics included clean energy projects already under way in Australia and around the world; the carbon price; how money can be made from the carbon farming initiative; biogas plants and employment opportunities. Mr Windsor said people in the local areas, including farmers, were already investigating carbon farming and more sustainable practices. Others such as Mr Blakester and Pacific Hydro, the developer of the Moree solar farm, were looking to take advantage of the increasing shift to renewable energy, he said.

GOING GREEN: McCarthy Catholic College students Hannah McPherson, left, and Brooke AstonBrien learn more about the clean energy industry from the Australian Conservation Foundations Ed Butler. Photo: Geoff ONeill
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