Antinuclear

The industry is taking heart from the solid opposition so far from Labor, the Greens and the Palmer United Party to any government attempt to make a significant reduction to the current targets.

“There is a very strong mood in the community and industry that the RET shouldn’t be cut back in any way,” said John Grimes, chair of the Australian Solar Council. “This is an issue that Australians feel strongly and passionately about.”

The council has taken its campaign to retain the existing targets – which include raising the annual supply of renewable energy to 41 terawatt-hours a year by 2020 – to marginal Coalition electorates, with another rally held in Barton on Sydney’s southern fringe on Wednesday evening.

The council has taken its campaign to retain the existing targets – which include raising the annual supply of renewable energy to 41 terawatt-hours a year by 2020 – to marginal Coalition electorates, with another rally held in Barton on Sydney’s southern fringe on Wednesday evening.

‘Sue for peace’

An advisor to the one of the three parties said the Abbott government had no choice but “to sue for peace” after it broke the Coalition’s previous bipartisan support for renewable energy with Labor and the Greens…….

Mr Grimes said the Solar Council plans to campaign in 20 electorates and during the state elections for NSW, Victoria and Queensland over the next half year or so.

“We’re only going to get stronger, not weaker,” he said. About 1.3 million households now have solar panels and the rate is rising by about 15,000 per month.

Ric Brazzale from Green Energy Markets said public take up of solar panels is holding steady, with commercial take-up on the increase. Last month, installers placed about 15,600 solar systems on roof-tops, adding about 68 megawatts of new capacity, he said. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/pressure-builds-on-abbott-government-to-relent-on-renewable-energy-cuts-20140917-10hy4e.html