The Bega Valley is at a crucial turning point, it has to decide on energy options that will affect the region in crucial ways for the next 30 years.

A gas fired power plant will lock the region into an expensive energy deal that will help lock out safer, cleaner and less costly options.

Energy efficiency can slash our consumption by as much as 50% with initiatives that have a payback period of less than three years. That means that after three years the community is saving 50% of their energy bill.

Solar, wind, mini-hydro and bio-fuels are all mature technologies that when combined provide a clean, low cost, reliable energy source. Renewable energy power plants are typically small allowing a community to gradually build infrastructure as growth demands.

The choice we are now facing is whether to lock ourselves into another 30 years of fossil fuels or to embrace the choice of the 21st century - efficiency and renewables.