Antinuclear

Australian Labor govt wishy washy on renewable energy

Mr Fitzgibbon back-pedalled on Wednesday from his claim that he was “tempted to say we should not have a renewable energy target at all” given Labor had put a price on carbon

Labor muddled on renewable energy: Greens THE AUSTRALIAN, JULIAN DRAPE  AAP October 31, 2012   THE Australian Greens have attacked Labor for sending mixed messages about the renewable energy target (RET) after chief whip Joel Fitzgibbon suggested it should be reduced.

Greens leader Christine Milne dubbed the whip “Coal Fitzgibbon” on Wednesday arguing he and the ALP right were “out on a limb” trying to undermine the RET. “What this shows is you simply can’t trust the Labor party to run a consistent line when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Senator Milne told reporters in Canberra.

“The Climate Change Authority has come out having reviewed the RET and said it’s a really good policy.” The target is meant to ensure 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020.
But softer demand and the popularity of rooftop solar panels mean the fixed 45,000 gigawatt-hour target may be exceeded…..  the Greens want the RET extended to ensure 50 per cent of Australia’s electricity
comes from renewable sources by 2030.

Mr Fitzgibbon back-pedalled on Wednesday from his claim that he was “tempted to say we should not have a renewable energy target at all” given Labor had put a price on carbon…..
government parliamentary secretary Richard Marles noted the RET had
had bipartisan support since it was introduced in 2001.

“The impact the RET is having on electricity prices has been modest,”
Mr Marles told reporters.

“It is an important part of tackling the issue of climate change. We
are not talking about changing the RET.”

Clean Energy Council analysis released last week suggests the target
has driven $18.5 billion of investment in clean power and eroded
wholesale energy prices.

The Climate Change Authority recommended on Friday that the RET be
retained unchanged. It said any benefits from altering the target
“would be outweighed by the costs of increased regulatory
uncertainty”.

Liberal backbencher Alan Tudge agrees the RET is only having a “small
impact” on electricity prices…..

November 1, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics