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Stephan Knoll and renewable energy

Stephan Knoll is South Australian Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning in the Marshal Government.

Under Labor governments South Australia had made far better progress in the development of renewable energy than any other Australian state, going from practically nothing to 50% in about 15 years, three quarters of this being wind power.

At the time of writing the Marshall Government had been in power for 16 months, but, so far as I know, while Minister Knoll has approved a number of solar farms, he has not approved a single wind farm. (I sent an email seeking clarification on this point on 2019/08/01. ) I hope that he has not given in to pressure from the notoriously pro-coal, anti-renewables federal Morrison Government to slow renewable energy development in South Australia.

When the previous Labor Government was developing South Australia's wind resources some of those who were prominent in the then Liberal Opposition were vocally and dishonestly rubbishing wind power; David Ridgway, the present Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment was one such. I hope for better from Minister Knoll.

This page was written 2019/07/13, modified 2019/12/18
Contact: David K. Clarke – ©

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I have been interested in wind power for more than 20 years, and have followed the development of wind power in South Australia particularly closely.

My house is in Crystal Brook, where several wind farms have been proposed, and several built within the region. The latest wind farm proposal (also to include a solar farm and battery) is the Crystal Brook Energy Park, which, if built, will be within about 5km of my house. Naturally, I am particularly keen to see this highly innovative project go ahead, for the good of my community, my region, my state, my country, the planet and for my (and everybody's) grandchildren.

Why should the Crystal Brook Energy Park be built?

Poll; Flinders News Internet site.

This is the result of a poll conducted in the Flinders News, in and article written by Piper Denholm and dated 2018/03/07.

At the time of writing I believe the South Australian State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) recommendations on the innovative Crystal Brook Energy Park (CBEP) had been with Minister Knoll for several months.

Overwhelming local support for the Crystal Brook Energy Park

Update, August 2019

Minister Knoll approved the CBEP. Another poll in a local newspaper indicated 75% approval.

An online poll that was conducted by a newspaper based in the vicinity of the project (results in the screen-shot on the right) indicated overwhelming support for the Crystal Brook Energy Park with five of every six respondents in favour of the project.

Important for climate change action

When and if the Crystal Brook Energy Park is built it will abate about 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Important for South Australia's energy future and economic future

South Australia's energy future, and indeed Australia's energy future, is in renewable energy. Companies like Neoen are not only generating clean electricity for local consumption (and export to other Australian states), but they are looking into exporting energy in one form or another to places like Singapore, Indonesia and Japan. South Australia has huge untapped renewable energy resources and the world is desperately looking for clean energy.

The Asian Renewable Energy Hub is a huge multi-billion dollar 15 GW wind and solar project proposed for the Western Australian Pilbara. In the Northern Territory a 10 GW solar project named Sun Cable has been proposed in which the power will be generated (and stored in batteries as needed) at Tennant Creek and exported via Darwin and undersea cable to Singapore. Putting these projects in perspective, Australia's biggest coal-fired power stations are around 2-3 GW.

This is an industry with enormous potential for future development; will South Australia take full advantage of it?

Important for power reliability

Victoria's old coal fired power stations had become very unreliable; the most unreliable in the country according to an article in The Age by Adam Carey published 2019/06/16. According to research published by The Australia Institute, "Australia’s newest coal plants, including 'supercritical' or so-called 'High Efficiency, Low Emissions' generators, have higher breakdown rates per gigawatt than older power stations"; 2019/01/23. While wind and solar power stations are variable in output they are highly reliable.

Important for the local community

The CBEP will create many jobs and a lot of work for local contractors, accommodation providers, cafes, hotels, etcetera during construction, and about five full time jobs, not trivial for a small country town. Neoen, the proponents of the project, have promised $80,000 each year for community development. And there will be substantial lease payments to a number of local landholders on whose properties the energy park will be built.

Wind turbines south of Crystal Brook

Clements Gap turbines, the closest of which is about 13km south of my home, 2016/07/08 At the time of writing this is the closest wind farm to Crystal Brook; it has caused no problems and the community funding of at least $50,000 annually that the owners, Pacific Hydro, provide has been a great boon.

Supporter's corflute

Corflutes such as this are displayed by supporters of the Crystal Brook Energy Park. This particular one is on my property.

Why I want to see the Crystal Brook Energy Park built

My greatest concern is climate change and the closely connected problems of ocean acidification, sea level rise and the air pollution that results from the burning of coal and other fossil fuels. South Australia has made great progress in reducing greenhouse emissions and has closed down its last two coal-fired power stations. I want to see this progress continued.

CBEP approved August 2019
Minister Knoll approved the energy park, after 'sitting on' the SCAP recommendation for several months.
Australia's energy future and South Australia's energy future are both with renewable energy. Any well informed person with an open mind can see that. I want to see the great progress that has been made in my state in the last 15 or so years continue, for the sake of my children, my grandchildren, for everybody's children and grandchildren, and for the future of the planet.

My region, Mid-North South Australia, has been a world leader in renewable energy and in reducing greenhouse emissions and I want to see that continue.

I want to see Crystal Brook, where I've had a house for about 45 years and where I continue to spend much of my time, advance.

On a more personal note, I am involved with developing Bowman Park, which is 5 km out of Crystal Brook toward the proposed wind farm, and is arguably the town's greatest asset. I'm also involved in revegetating the Crystal Brook railway reserve. The $80,000 community fund promised by Neoen if the Energy Park is built will be very valuable for these and similar projects.

Poor service from Minister Knoll's department

About the end of July 2019, before Minister Knoll approved the CBEP, I contacted Dipty (Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, DPTY) and asked how many wind farms were awaiting the Minister's approval. To late August I had not received a reply.