Construction dominates $55b transition jobs

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE state government’s policy that the transition to renewable energy will create 59,000 jobs by 2035 is based on more than $55 billion in investment, according to areport by consultants pwc.

More than half this investment amount -$29.34 billion -will come from offshore wind -with the bulk of the jobs, about 53,000, coming from the construction phase. Ongoing jobs in the operational phase by 2035 will total about 6000.

These are key figures from the report, ‘Victorian electricity sector renewable energy transition’, prepared by pwc for DELWP (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning).

Consultants pwc were hired by DELWP to assess theeconomicimpactofthe government’s new renewable plans -arenewable energy target of 65% by 2030 and 95% by 2035.

The analysis found that 95% renewable supply by 2035 would boost gross social product by $9.5 billion and generate an additional 59,214 jobs over that horizon. The GSPincrease is based on $7.1 billion from construction, while $2.3b relates to the impact of ongoing jobs. The GSP impact by 2030 is $5.32b -$4.4b in construction and $911 million in ongoing operations. The analysis uses energy modelling by Jacobs Australia and DELWP.

Withenergy accounting for 70%ofVictoria’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, “the transition to 95% renewable energy is essential in order for Victoria to achieve itslegislated target of net zero emissions by 2050”, pwc said. It claims the transition will maintainsupplyreliability and affordable energy.

The transition is based on renewable energy investment, firm capacity and emerging dispatchable technologies such as hydrogen-based generation.Greater transmission, interstate interconnections, household solar, batteries and

Employment rate worringly low

By PHILIP HOPKINS

WITH labour force participationinGippsland well below the Victorian average, affordable and accessible education is apriority for the region, according to the Latrobe Valley Authority’s draft regional plan.

The LVA’s ‘Gippsland 2035. Latrobe Valley and GippslandTransition Plan’ also notedthat the youth unemployment rate in Gippsland remained unacceptably high.

“More than 100,000 people in Gippsland are classified as not in the labour force, meaning they are not lookingfor work or receiving unemployment benefits. Growing the region’s workforce will require aconcerted effort to raise the participation rate,” the draft plan said.

“Key area of focusthat can improveaccess to educationinclude entry requirements for tertiary education, the cost of degrees, online provision, affordable student accommodation and financial support during studies.

“The provision of affordable shortcourses through Learn Local courses,TAFE and university and moresupport for students fromlow socio-economic, multicultural and LGBTIQ+ groups, and people living with disabilities can help address systemic disadvantage and intergenerational unemployment in the region.”

The draft plan noted that wind farm developer Star of theSouth and Energy Australia were working together to map existing skills in coal power generation with those needed in offshore wind.

“The project will identify transition opportunities and what new skills, qualifications and training were needed and should be designed and offered locally to build aclean energy workforce in Gippsland,” the plan said.

The LVA backs state government planson forestry and energy. “The transition away from native forest harvesting providessupport, training and assistance through the Victorian Forestry Plan to build opportunities for new, sustainable industries and jobs. This includes transition support for affected workers, businesses and communities,” the plan said. The industry would be bolstered by the Gippsland Plantation Investment Program and VicForests’ farm forest program.

The Victorian Skills Authority has estimated that Gippsland needs 12,925 new workers by 2025. This includes 6884 new jobs and replacement of 6041 retiring workers.

“Looking further ahead, the projectedgrowth in renewable energy products in Gippsland will require asignificant newworkforce. Filling these future jobs will necessitate inboundregional migration and population growth,” the plan said. This would create aflow-on demand for health and social services, agriculture, construction, education, childcare and arange of retail, service-based and hospitality jobs. electric vehicles will complement this new build.

Investing in training for clean energy jobs is also afocus of the plan, which warned that not all transitioning workers would move to renewable energy jobs. “Many will retire or work in other industries,” it said, highlighting the need to attract, train and retain aworkforce with theskillsfor future-focussed jobs.

The LVA noted that it was working with solar installation companies and the education sectorto address the shortage of suitably qualified electricians in the region. “At the time,there wasno pathwaytoobtain the necessary qualifications for electricians to work in the solar industry in Gippsland,” the plan said. Holmesglen TAFE and TAFEGippsland could offerthe necessarycourses locallyand “develop an ongoing courseinrenewable technologies”.

The LVA said research showed that two-thirds of skilled and well paid workers in power, mining and forestry struggled to find comparablejobs with similar pay, working conditions and job security.

“This highlightsthe need for targeted workforce planning,” the draft said.

The report highlighted the growing importance of the healthcare and social assistance sector, already Gippsland’s largest employer. There should be a renewed focus on aged and disability care.

Also, the tourism sector should work Gippsland TAFE and Federation University to improve the availability, retention and skills of the workforce.

The LVA emphasised that its planwas not designed to displace or replace existing thinking or work being undertaken across Gippsland. “It should be read in conjunction with existing plans, strategies and reports,” it said, including the Victorian Forestry Plan and the Gippsland RegionalPlan2020-2025,which was backed by One Gippsland, RDA Gippsland and the Committee for Gippsland. “It remains the primary strategic advocacyplan for the region.The LVA has aligned the transition priorities forLatrobe Valley and Gippsland withthe Gippsland Regional Plan,” the draft report said.

It assumesthe closureofall Latrobe Valley brown coal plants by mid-2035, the upgrade of the Kerang Link interconnector in mid-2031,completion of the Marinus Link interconnector to Tasmania in mid-2033 (stage 1) and mid-2035 (stage 2) and Victorianoffshore wind targets of 4gigawatts(4000 megawatts)by2035and 9GW (9000MW) by 2040.

The report found that the total undiscounted capitalcostofthis technology investment from 2023 to 2040 would be $55.5 billion.

The total is dominated by offshore wind ($29.344b) followed by onshore wind ($8.7b), rooftop solar ($4.9b),householdbatteries ($4.48b), utility batteries ($2.1b), PVNSG solar -more than 100kilowatts and lessthan 30MW ($1.98b), pumped hydro ($1.85b), solar ($1.46b) and hydrogen ($614 million).

The estimated 53,019 two-yearconstructionjobs by 2035includes 28,549 directjobs, 13,873 indirect and 10,597 induced jobs. The 6195 operational jobs includes 961 direct, 3254 indirect and 1980 induced jobs.

By 2030, two-year jobs created total 27,86925,996 in constructionand 1872 in the operational phase.

The estimated economic impact of the investment accelerates after 2032. The report includes tables showing the estimated investment in renewables and energy storage annually until 2040, showing the contribution of the various energy types.

Other tables show the undiscounted operating costs of the various technologies until 2040, with offshore wind well ahead at $8.1b, and also the economic impacts of the various technologies.

The pwc analysis does not include fuel costs withinthe modelling. As agreedwith DELWP, pwc assumed that pumped hydro systems have eight to 48 hours’ storage capacity.

Following DELWP’s instruction, battery storage systems are based on two-hour and four-hour storage capacity.

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CrosswordPuzzle No.8524

with Muzza

ONE POINTERS

1. In the game TwoUp, what objects gets throw into the air?

2. Michael Hutchence was the lead singer of which Australian band?

3. Superstition states that it will bring you good luck if you find what item and hang it over adoor?

4. What is the name of the coffee shop in the sitcom ‘Friends’?

TWO POINTERS

5. What is the name of ascrewdriver with afourpointed pattern?

6. Which popular video game franchise has released games with the subtitles WorldAtWar and Black Ops?

7. What tennis grand slam is played on aclay surface?

8. What’slonger,anauticalmileoramile?

THREE POINTERS

9. What does YMCA stand for?

10. What mythological creaturelends itsname to aUScityand a HarryPotter novel?

11. Which two country singers famously sang together on the 1983 song ‘Islands In The Stream’?

12. What is the capital of Papua New Guinea?

FOUR POINTERS

13. What would you be studying if you saw arches, whorls and loops?

14. Which Stephen King novel takes place mostly in the fictional Overlook Hotel?

FIVE POINTER

15. I’ll give 5clues and you give me the name of the plant for each clue. Q1. Part of an eye Q2. Aussie female singer Iggy’slast name Q3. Body part of an animal indigenous to Australia Q4. First name of the female cousin to Bo and Luke Duke from ‘The Dukes of Hazard’ Q5 The first name of the princess from Walk Disney’s ‘Aladdin’

HOW DID YOU FARE?

37: Topofthe class; 30-36: Outstanding; 23-29: Well done; 15-22: Solid effort; 9-14: Room for improvement; 0-8: Hit the books.

Target Time No.0148

Howtoplay...

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or morecan youlist? The centreletter must be included and each letter may be used only once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in

Sudoku No.0148

Howtoplay.

Fill the grid so that everyrow and every 3x3 square contains the digits 1to9 Solution next Wednesday.