[Greens-Media] Kicking the renewables sector while it's down: 20% undermined, no certainty for solar

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Kicking the renewables sector while it's down: 20% undermined, no
certainty for solar

Melbourne, Wednesday 17 December 2008

Just two days after delivering its 'big polluters' bail-out package',
the Rudd Government has announced a deeply flawed renewable energy
target that breaches its election promise and will entrench sector's
boom and bust cycles, the Australian Greens said today.

"After giving big polluters everything they asked for in Monday's white
paper, today the Rudd Government is kicking the renewable energy sector
while it's down," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Climate Change
Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, said.

Today's ill-thought out announcement that solar panels will be given
five renewable energy credits (RECs) for every megawatt hour, while all
other renewable energy sources get only one REC, will fail to provide
the certainty the solar industry needs while undermining the 20%
Renewable Energy Target (RET).

Ongoing uncertainty over price, an absurd seven year phase down and a
senseless size limit means the solar industry will still not be able to
invest in Australia with any confidence.

Meanwhile, the fact that each megawatt hour of solar power will take up
the space of five megawatt hours in the scheme means the 20% target will
now deliver even less renewable energy into the grid than it should.

"Mr Rudd, why won't you listen to the solar industry like you listen to
the coal industry?" Senator Milne asked.

"The renewable energy sector is united behind the need for a price
guarantee scheme - known as a feed-in tariff - which has delivered
tremendous growth in jobs and investment everywhere it has been
introduced around the world.

"The evidence is crystal clear that a feed-in tariff scheme is the best
policy setting to supplement a strong renewable energy target. It gives
the industry the long-term certainty it needs to invest in creating
green-collar jobs and delivering a boom in zero emissions energy.

"The Rudd Government refused to support my Private Member's Bill for a
feed-in tariff in large part because it did not want to see the cost of
renewable energy shared by all electricity users. But today's scheme has
an identical funding mechanism - it will have the same impact on
electricity bills for less benefit. This is senseless.

"It has taken a year and embarrassment by the Greens in introducing
amendments to fulfil this election promise, and still the Rudd
Government produces a deeply flawed plan.

"This is yet another example of senseless policy on the run from the
Rudd Government.

"Mr Rudd and his Ministers need to take a good holiday break to think
seriously about their approach to climate change and return in 2009 with
a New Year's Resolution to follow expert advice instead of polluter
lobbying."

Tim Hollo 
Media and Communications Adviser 
Senator Christine Milne 
Australian Greens Deputy Leader
ph: (02) 6277 3588 
mob: 0437 587 562
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