The Abbott-Labor deal to reduce the Renewable Energy Target from 41,000 to 33,000 gigawatt hours per annum by 2020 will mean fewer jobs and less clean energy on the north coast.
Labor has caved into both Tony Abbott and the fossil fuel lobby. This deal means more coal, more pollution and less investment in clean energy.
The north coast region continues to set the standard in renewable energy with some of the highest up-take rates for solar power in NSW and several large scale solar projects in the pipeline, like the 99kw Lismore Community Solar Farm to be constructed at Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre and East Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant.
Many north coast suburbs have more than a quarter of households with rooftop solar. The Greens want to increase the Renewable Energy Target to power Australia with at least 90 per cent renewable energy by 2030. This will give investors the certainty and stability they need to plan.
This cut will harm the future of large scale solar in Australia. Labor has helped Tony Abbott protect the big polluters with a deal for a slower transition to cleaner, cheaper power.
Investment in renewable energy in Australia dived by 88 per cent in 2014 after the government launched its review of the target.
The Australian Solar Council has also criticised the decision to cut the RET, with chief executive John Grimes saying that ‘a deal at 33,000 gigawatt hours won’t deliver any outcomes for big solar in Australia’.
Dawn Walker, The Greens
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