Antinuclear

Greens urge creation of clean energy map for the community http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-2013/greens-urge-creation-of-clean-energy-map-for-the-community/story-fn9qr68y-1226678708055 BY:SID MAHER The Australian July 13, 2013

Greens leader Christine Milne will unveil a policy allocating $2 billion to a task group within the Department of Energy to map Australia’s clean energy resources, involve local communities in planning energy projects and run a competitive tender to link clean energy hotspots to the national energy grid.

The policy argues “where our world-beating clean energy resources and genuine community support align”, renewable energy development zones should be established with quicker approval processes for clean energy projects.

The plan also calls for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s funding to be boosted to $30bn over 10 years from the current $10bn.

Senator Milne will also call for the lifting of the Renewable Energy Target to 30 per cent by 2030, compared with the current target of 20 per cent by 2020.Senator Milne will also call for the establishment of an energy savings agency that would ensure that the owners of renewable energy generators receive fair payments for the electricity they produce.

She will argue that there is significant overlap of prime solar and wind areas in southern Western Australia, South Australia and throughout many parts of the Northern Territory.

Regions where prime solar, wind and geothermal resources overlap may have such great promise for large-scale renewable energy development that they would warrant significant public investment in grid infrastructure.

The task group’s job would be to map these areas and collaborate with the Australian Electricity Market Operator in identifying development priorities.

Senator Milne will also call for changes to national electricity market rules to remove barriers to planning for renewable energy projects.

The Greens also argue that a stipulation of reducing greenhouse emissions needs to be included in national electricity objectives.

Senator Milne said the Connecting Clean Energy plan would mean cleaner air, more jobs and investment in regional Australia, and big cuts to the pollution driving global warming.

“Based on extensive consultation, a national $2bn task group would identify and create the new zones to help remove investment and infrastructure barriers,” Senator Milne said.