A NEW strategy is stopping community backlash before it begins as central Victoria transitions to renewable energy.
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The Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance is developing a Renewable Energy Roadmap for the Loddon Mallee by canvassing community community concerns. It's one of many being developed across the state.
CVGA executive officer Rob Law said the strategy would prevent a negative reaction from the community, like what had happened with wind farm developments in other parts of the state 10 years ago.
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Mr Law said the roadmap addressed the Loddon Mallee's inevitable transition to renewable energy.
He said the strategy meant working with the state government to make sure it rolled out developments in a planned way, identifying the opportunities and concerns that arose with that. These could be aesthetics, it could be biodiversity, it could be reconciling solar with irrigated agriculture.
"We've already seen, in the last five years, a jump from 10 percent to 45 percent in our region," Mr Law said.
"Like any development we need to make sure we understand the diversity of community views."
Mr Law said large scale solar farms to the north of the state, and a huge uptake of rooftop solar were driving the uptake of renewable energy in the region.
The community would be able to set the rules about what would happen in the region - and avoid their concerns - through the consultation process, Mr Law said.
He anticipated there would be a wide range of attitudes to renewable energy in the Loddon Mallee region, stretching from Mildura, through Bendigo and central Victoria, down to Woodend.
Have your say at: engage.vic.gov.au/regional-renewable-energy-roadmaps/loddon-mallee
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