Aussie energy changes

SYDNEY: Australia's largest electricity retailer has welcomed changes to the federal government's renewable energy target scheme.

AGL Energy managing director Michael Fraser said yesterday the changes could see construction begin on new wind farm projects sooner rather than later.

The Government intends to split the scheme into two parts from next January: one for large-scale projects such as wind farms and solar energy plants and a second for small-scale technologies such as solar panels and solar hot water systems.

Market demand for the scheme from new large-scale projects has stalled partly because the Government used it to reward households installing rooftop solar panels with an A$8000 ($10,250) rebate.

AGL had put a hold on any investment in its proposed Macarthur wind farm, about 300km west of Melbourne.

The Macarthur project is a joint venture with New Zealand's Meridian Energy.

- AAP