RESTRUCTURING WARNING

Western Windpower's Michael Carr warns that long term technology development could well suffer in Australia's restructured electricity industry. Consumers should not expect increased investment in new energy technologies, he says. The ability to embark upon technology development and its associated risk will be "severely diminished" under the trend to smaller utility entities," he says. "Restructuring into smaller corporate entities with increasing competition around Australia in itself is not going to support energy efficiency or renewable energy," says Carr.