Antinuclear

Queensland’s solar tariff helps create $3.5 billion in new investment

Queensland’s tariff, which pays 45c per kWh, had helped thousands to access clean power…“[Queensland will avoid] going down the path of other states in collapsing their schemes and causing such dislocation amongst a somewhat new and still vulnerable part of the economy.”….Current policies to promote renewable energy in Queensland would create $3.5 billion in new investment and 3500 new jobs.

Solar cuts are ‘foolish’: Roberston –   Narooma News, GRAHAM READFEARN, 06 Sep, 2011 Queensland Energy Minister Stephen Robertson has accused other state governments of being “foolish and shortsighted” for cutting payments to promote solar energy.Mr Robertson told the Ecogen renewable energy conference in Brisbane yesterday that recent decisions in Victoria and New South Wales to cut back payments for homeowners with solar power would damage the industry.

Last week, Victoria’s energy minister Michael O’Brien announced the government would cut its feed-in tariff payments, for electricity fed back to the grid, from 60 cents per kilowatt hour to 25c.

The New South Wales government has already scrapped its scheme, which had been one of the most generous in Australia.

Mr Robertson said Queensland’s tariff, which pays 45c per kWh, had helped thousands to access clean power….

“[Queensland will avoid] going down the path of other states in collapsing their schemes and causing such dislocation amongst a somewhat new and still vulnerable part of the economy.”

The minister also used his speech to back Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s plans to introduce a price on greenhouse gas emissions.

Without the carbon price, he said by 2020 Queensland’s economy would grow by 41 per cent. Under a carbon price, the economy would grow by 40.6 per cent.

“For economists that’s just simply a statistical blip,” he said. “It does not amount to any significant impact on the growth of our economy over the next 10 years.

“In comparison, the impact of not addressing climate change is far more significant. The floods and cyclones earlier this year demonstrate Queensland’s vulnerability to extreme climatic events will continue well into the future.

“Action to address climate change and support growth in Queensland’s renewable energy industry is the prudent and responsible course of action for any government to take.”

Current policies to promote renewable energy in Queensland, he said, would create $3.5 billion in new investment and 3500 new jobs.

World Bank renewable energy specialist Dan Kammen told the Ecogen conference there were major economic opportunities for developed economies to partner with China in building and selling renewable energy technology.

Solar cuts are ‘foolish’: Roberston – National News – National – Environment – Narooma News

September 6, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Queensland, solar | solar