GLENELG Shire Council aims to be well prepared for anticipated boom times driven by renewable energy.

Interim chief executive officer Craig Niemann will prepare a report on developing a study assessing the readiness and impact of renewable energy in the shire.

At Tuesday’s meeting in Portland, Mayor Cr Karen Stephens’ motion for the report to be prepared and tabled, ideally, within two months was supported by all councillors.

Cr Stephens said that with major investments proposed in renewable energy in the shire, a range of local opportunities and impacts were expected.

“Understanding the indicative scale, timing and location of impacts will help to appropriately plan for periods of high demand for labour, housing, accommodation and infrastructure needs,” she said.

“[We need] to have a strategic report on all the activities, whether that be all the [proposed] developments of the last few months - Yumbah, Coles, Bunnings – and all of those jobs in association with that, and then of course we have offshore [wind] that's being proposed for years to come.

“We've talked about this - about housing, about infrastructure in our community readiness - but we also have to look at council's readiness and perhaps the demand on council's services. Let's get a report and let's start the process going.

“We need to start somewhere. We need to understand and unpack what this actually looks like. It might involve other things but let's see what the report comes to the table at.

“And let's not forget that the $150 million for the Maroona Portland line upgrade is also going to drive opportunities for this region for growth as well.”

The report will also consider stakeholders that will need to be involved, as well as funding opportunities for undertaking the larger study.

Cr Scott Martin said the report was definitely needed. “The study that we do want to do is not going to be a small job, it's going to be quite a large undertaking and we need to know what's involved with that.”

Cr Martin did query if two months was enough time for the CEO to prepare the report.

“Best endeavours,” Mr Niemann said. “Certainly we've got to get that done within six weeks to get it back on the agenda … it's going to be tight but I'm conscious of caretaker and council wants to consider this motion while you're here.” (Council elections will be held in October.)

Cr Michael Carr thanked the mayor for bringing the motion. “Portland, or Glenelg Shire, we are going to expand, there's absolutely no doubt that,” he said.

“There are hundreds of jobs attached to everything that you just announced and there are thousands of jobs attached to the renewables sector. We must be strategic, that is our job, that's the role of council, and we do need some help. And we do need some funding to have that strategic outlook, so I thank you for bringing this motion.”

Cr Gilbert Wilson agreed. “Thank you madam mayor ... my congratulations on your forward thinking,” he said.

“This is great for our community to see what opportunities lie ahead. We need to do our diligence, get our reports in so we can hit those grant opportunities, hit the state and federal governments for the assistance that we will require.

“In doing that, we have existing businesses that are strongly or partly in connection with renewable energy We will be supporting these to the best of our ability ...  and encouraging newer businesses to not only Portland but the shire as well.

“It may not seem much at the start, but this report will start the trigger for this council going forward to see what best we can get out of the emerging renewables sector.”