Manyseek green future at clean energyforums Man y seek gr een fu tur e at cl ean energy for ums CLEAN energy f orums held in Tam- worth over the past two days sug- gest there is a “fair bit of interest” among local people in a greener future, New England MP Tony Windsor says. Mr Windsor said a couple of hun- dred people attended Thursday night’s public forum and the same figures again were seen at yester- day’ s school forum. “I was really pleased and the feedback was very good, too, ” Mr Windsor said. Mr Windsor organised the events in conjunction with the Australian Conservation Foundation to inform residents about the oppor- tunities and advantages the clean energy industry is anticipated to provide. Attendees heard from a range of individuals and organisations involved in the clean energy indus- try, including Armidale entrepre- neur Adam Blakester from New England Wind, who hopes to devel- op a community-owned wind farm. Topics included clean energy projects already under way in Aus- tralia and around the world; the carbon price; how money can be made from the carbon farming ini- tiative; biogas plants and employ- ment opportunities. Mr Windsor said people in the local areas, including farmers, were already investigating carbon farm- ing and more sustainable practices. Others such as Mr Blakester and Pacific Hydro, the developer of the Moree solar farm, were looking to take advantage of the increasing shift to renewable e nergy, he said. GOING GREEN: McCarthy Catholic College students Hannah McPherson, lef t, and Brooke Aston- Brien learn more about the clean energy industry from the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Ed Butler. Photo: Geoff O’Neill 090312GOA0105 Media Monitors Client Service Centre 1300 880 082 Copyright Agency Ltd (CAL) licenced copy Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth NSW 10 Mar 2012 General News, page 11 - 243.82 cm² Regional - circulation 7,345 (MTWTFS-) ID 137135572 PAGE 1 of 1