The future of renewable energy in Australia would be destroyed if "radical" recommendations from a Senate inquiry into wind power are adopted, the clean power industry says.
An investigation has been launched into how details of the final report, due to be tabled in Parliament on Monday, were leaked to News Corp and published on Friday.
The Senate inquiry is led by anti-wind power crossbenchers David Leyonhjelm, John Madigan and Bob Day.
According to The Australian, the report will urge the Abbott government to restrict renewable energy certificates for new wind farms to a period of five years, down from more than 20.
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The certificates are a type of subsidy that support wind and other clean power projects.
The report will also reportedly recommend the certificates be granted only to projects in states that adhere to federal rules on infrasound and low-frequency noise.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described wind farms as "noisy" and "visually awful" and says they may be harmful to health.
The National Health and Medical Research Council last year concluded there was no reliable or consistent evidence wind farms caused health problems.
The reported recommendations follow the government's moves to prevent the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation from backing wind energy and household solar projects.
The clean power industry is still recovering from a long period of investment uncertainty after months of political deadlock over the renewable energy target.
Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said the report's recommendations were provided to the media before being seen by the industry or Parliament, showing the inquiry was "a biased political stitch-up by a small group of senators opposed to the cheapest forms of renewable energy".
He said the recommendations would "destroy the future of renewable energy", and the leak was a "clear breach of proper parliamentary process".
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/renewable-energy-senate-inquiry-push-to-slash-wind-farm-subsidies-will-destroy-sector-20150731-giophd.html
An investigation has been launched into how details of the final report, due to be tabled in Parliament on Monday, were leaked to News Corp and published on Friday.
The Senate inquiry is led by anti-wind power crossbenchers David Leyonhjelm, John Madigan and Bob Day.
According to The Australian, the report will urge the Abbott government to restrict renewable energy certificates for new wind farms to a period of five years, down from more than 20.
Advertisement
The certificates are a type of subsidy that support wind and other clean power projects.
The report will also reportedly recommend the certificates be granted only to projects in states that adhere to federal rules on infrasound and low-frequency noise.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described wind farms as "noisy" and "visually awful" and says they may be harmful to health.
The National Health and Medical Research Council last year concluded there was no reliable or consistent evidence wind farms caused health problems.
The reported recommendations follow the government's moves to prevent the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation from backing wind energy and household solar projects.
The clean power industry is still recovering from a long period of investment uncertainty after months of political deadlock over the renewable energy target.
Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said the report's recommendations were provided to the media before being seen by the industry or Parliament, showing the inquiry was "a biased political stitch-up by a small group of senators opposed to the cheapest forms of renewable energy".
He said the recommendations would "destroy the future of renewable energy", and the leak was a "clear breach of proper parliamentary process".
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/renewable-energy-senate-inquiry-push-to-slash-wind-farm-subsidies-will-destroy-sector-20150731-giophd.html
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