By Luke Voogt
Environmentalists have reignited debate over a planned floating gas terminal at Geelong’s oil refinery following a community meeting on Monday.
Geelong Renewables Not Gas campaign spokesperson Greg Foyster warned the city faced an “energy crossroads” over the next 12 months prior to the community meeting, hosted by refinery owner Viva Energy, at Geelong West Town Hall.
“On the one hand, we have a big battery being built on Geelong’s doorstep, which will help the transition to renewable energy,” Mr Foyster said.
“On the other hand, we have a massive gas import terminal proposed for Corio Bay, which would slow down the transition and lock us into using a polluting fossil fuel for years.
“Geelong should be a renewable energy hub. We’ve got the infrastructure, skilled workforce and proud manufacturing heritage to position our city as the place for the rapidly growing clean energy industry.
“Fossil fuels like gas and coal are on the way out. Investing in gas infrastructure right now is a road to nowhere.
“Gas can be even worse for the climate than coal because it leaks into the atmosphere. This leaked gas traps more warmth, increasing our risks of severe heat, drought, bushfires and sea-level rise.”
But Viva Energy stressed the “strong ongoing need for gas” as a “vital energy” source in Australia’s transition to renewables.
“Gas is a critical energy source for Victoria – for heating, hot water, cooking and industrial processes – and will continue to play an important role for many years, as the transition from one energy source to another can take decades,” a company spokesperson said.
“However, the supply from the Bass Strait gas fields is in decline, and Victoria and south-east Australia face winter gas shortages within the next few years.”
The terminal would create an economic way of transporting gas from new fields in Queensland and NSW, as well as from overseas, providing supply security, the spokesperson said.
The terminal would create new jobs and help guarantee the refinery’s existing 700 jobs, they said.
Meanwhile, federal government yesterday announced Viva Energy would receive $33.3 million a 90 megalitre expansion of Geelong refinery’s storage capacity.
The funding is part of a $260 million plan to expand Australia’s diesel storage capacity.
