A sustainability and mining expert says the Upper Hunter region has the potential to be a national leader in the renewable energy sector if it looks beyond the coal industry.
Doctor Geoff Evans has addressed Muswellbrook residents at a forum on climate change and renewable energy at the weekend.
Locals at the forum raised concerns about the future of towns like Muswellbrook and Singleton once the mining boom is over.
Doctor Evans says there is no reason the Upper Hunter could not lead the way into a green energy future.
“There’re enormous skills here in engineering, there are large areas of land that could be utilised for solar thermal power stations, there’s a wind resource here that could be utilised for wind energy and there’s even a geo-thermal resource here that could be developed in the longer term,” he said.
Hunter residents are being warned a failure to recognise the benefits of a green energy boom could cost them their jobs.
Hundreds of workers have been informed their jobs will go when a Kurri Kurri aluminium smelter shuts its doors.
Doctor Evans says they will not be the last to go.
“Investment in renewable energies will promise a lot more jobs than current investments in coal fired power stations or even in industries that are currently dependent on coal fired power stations,” he said.
“But if the Government doesn’t invest in that, then we’re going to see a lot more job losses in industries like aluminium and including primary industries.”
