Question On Notice No. 197 asked in the Legislative Council on 23 June 2021 by Hon Brad Pettitt
Question Directed to the: Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I
refer to the solar project announced by Woodside on 27 May 2021, and the
recently approved Greenhouse Gas Abatement Plan (GGAP) for the expansion of the
Pluto liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, and I ask:
(a) has
this solar project been included in the GGAP:
(i) if
no to (a), why not;
(b) has
this solar project been included in the recent works approval under part V of
the Environmental
Protection Act 1986 for Pluto Train 2:
(i) if
yes to (b), does the works approval identify which operational energy uses will
be powered by the solar project and can the Minister please identify those uses; and
(ii) if
no to (b)(i), why not; and
(c) will
this solar project reduce the direct and total CO2e from the Pluto LNG
facility and, if so, by how much?
Answered on 18 August 2021
(a) – (c)
Woodside Energy Ltd’s Pluto liquefied natural gas (LNG) Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program includes short-term and long-term emissions reduction targets for the Pluto LNG Facility. The Program does not include reference to a specific solar project. The emissions reductions targets in the Program are underwritten by a commitment to offset, if emissions targets are not met. Woodside Energy Ltd’s Pluto LNG Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program is publicly available on the proponent’s website.
The Minister for Environment has been advised by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation that the solar project has not been included in the recent works approvals application and has further advised that solar power generation is not a prescribed premises category listed under Schedule 1 of the Environmental Protection Regulations 1987. As a result, a works approval is not required to authorise construction of solar infrastructure under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.