Gillard and Abbott should follow Brumby to feed-in tariff for baseload
solar
Hobart, Wednesday 21 July 2010
The Greens today welcomed Victorian Premier John Brumby’s announcement
of a gross feed-in tariff for large-scale solar plants and urged both
Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott to embrace this world-leading policy at a
national level.
Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, has introduced
a bill for a comprehensive feed-in tariff to pay a guaranteed fair price
for all energy produced by all forms of renewable energy at all scales.*
The bill was supported in principle by a Senate Committee but sent to
COAG for consideration and never acted upon.
“A properly designed feed-in tariff is recognised as the reason Germany,
Spain and some US states have seen tremendous booms in renewable energy,
creating jobs and investment, cleaning the air and reducing emissions,”
Senator Milne said.
“Premier Brumby is to be congratulated on his decision today. He is
leaving Julia Gillard in his wake, although he still has a fair way to
go to catch up with the Greens.
“We need to set our sights as high as possible and establish a national
feed-in tariff to support all forms of renewable energy.”
Prime Minister Gillard is expected to announce individual grants
programs for renewable energy during the campaign, including possibly
the Solar Flagships projects. These grants are no substitute for a
feed-in tariff.
“One off, ad hoc grants do nothing to develop the industry. They will
see Australia importing technologies we have driven offshore through
lack of ongoing support.
“If we want to create jobs and long-term investment, as well as drive
the transformation to 100% renewable energy, we need a well-designed
national feed-in tariff.
“While I welcome Premier Brumby’s announcement, the expansion of
state-based schemes can lead to perverse outcomes for investors,
particularly in the context of the national renewable energy target.
“The main obstacles to a national gross feed-in tariff are Penny Wong
and Julia Gillard.
“The Greens will continue to work hard in the Senate for a well-designed
feed-in tariff to see renewable energy reach as high as it can and to
stop the state by state inconsistency.”
*NB: The Greens do not consider native forest furnaces to be a form of
renewable energy.
Tim Hollo
Media Adviser
Senator Christine Milne | Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Climate
Change Spokesperson
Suite SG-112 Parliament House, Canberra ACT | P: 02 6277 3588 | M: 0437
587 562
http://www.christinemilne.org.au/| www.GreensMPs.org.au
<http://www.greensmps.org.au/>