{"id":191338,"date":"2021-03-01T16:03:49","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T13:03:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/tricky-questions-for-regional-australia\/"},"modified":"2021-03-01T16:03:49","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T13:03:49","slug":"tricky-questions-for-regional-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/tricky-questions-for-regional-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"#Tricky questions for regional Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Tricky questions for regional Australia<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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\"Renewables
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Renewable energy capacity in Australia is expected to<\/a> double, or even trip<\/a>le, over the next 20 years. There is one oft-overlooked question in this transition: where will it all be built?<\/p>\n

Many renewable energy technologies need extensive land area. Wind turbines<\/a>, for instance, cannot be located too close together, or they won’t work efficiently.<\/p>\n

Some land will be in urban areas. But in the transition to 100% renewable energy, land in the regions will also be needed. This presents big challenges, and opportunities, for the farming sector.<\/p>\n

Two important factors lie at the heart of a smooth transition. First, we must recognize that building renewable energy infrastructure in rural landscapes is a complex social<\/a> undertaking. And second, we must plan to ensure renewables are built where they’ll perform best.<\/p>\n

Bringing renewables to the regions<\/b><\/p>\n

My research<\/a> has examined how much land future energy generation will require, and the best way to locate a 100% renewable electricity sector in Australia. <\/p>\n

A National Farmers Federation paper<\/a> released last week called for a greater policy focus on renewable energy in regional Australia. It said so-called renewable energy zones should “be at the centre of any regionalisation agenda” and that this would give the technology<\/a> a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n

Hosting renewable energy infrastructure gives farmers a second income stream. This can diversify a farming business and help it withstand periods of financial pressure such as drought. An influx of new infrastructure also boosts regional economies. <\/p>\n

But successfully integrating renewables into the agricultural landscape is not without challenges.<\/p>\n

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\"Renewables
\n Australia\u2019s renewable energy expansion will require plenty of space \u2013 most of it in the regions. Credit: Shutterstock
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A wicked problem<\/b><\/p>\n

Renewable energy enjoys widespread public support<\/a>. However its development can lead to social conflicts. For example, opposition to wind wind farms, often concentrated at the local level, can be motivated by concerns<\/a> about:<\/p>\n