Antinuclear

Labor’s renewable energy plan won’t cost taxpayers – Shorten

No net cost for renewable plan: Labor, SBS News 2 June 16 Bill Shorten insists his plan to have government departments and agencies run on 50 per cent renewables won’t cost taxpayers. Bill Shorten insists a plan to force commonwealth agencies to run on 50 per cent renewable energy will have no net cost.

But the opposition leader won’t say if the policy has been costed, relying on a government-commissioned report that found renewable energy puts downward pressure on power prices. He’s also banking on technology getting cheaper before 2030. “There’ll be no net cost,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Sydney on Thursday. “I know if you want an economic plan you’ve got to have a plan for climate change.”……..

Mr Shorten referenced an Abbott-government initiated review into the Renewable Energy Target – which recommended the policy be pared back – as proof there would be no net cost.

The RET was subsequently slashed from 41,000 gigawatt hours to 33,500 by 2020, after a lengthy stand-off between the coalition and Labor. Investment in the sector fell 88 per cent last year as a result.

Labor wants half of all Australian energy to come from renewables by 2030, while the coalition is yet to reveal a goal past 2020.

Many commonwealth services were in the ACT, which was already sourcing renewable energy, Mr Shorten said. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/06/02/no-net-cost-renewable-plan-labor

June 3, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | election 2016