[Greens-Media] Green-powered economic recovery needs fair pay for renewable energy - 8 Greens MPs

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Green-powered economic recovery needs fair pay for renewable energy

Australia needs nationally consistent price guarantees for renewable
energy (known as "feed-in tariffs"), as the most effective and efficient
way to build a people-powered, zero emissions energy network and help
drive a 'green economic recovery', eight Greens MPs said today.

Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne, who has a Private Member's
Bill before the Senate to establish a national feed-in tariff, was
joined in today's call by Greg Barber MLC (VIC), John Kaye MLC (NSW),
Ronan Lee MP (QLD), Paul Llewellyn MLC (WA), Nick McKim MP (TAS), Mark
Parnell MLC (SA) and Shane Rattenbury MLA (ACT), all of whom have worked
for effective feed-in policies. The MPs are in Brisbane for the Greens
National Conference.

Senator Milne said "Everywhere I go across Australia, people are asking
me why governments are not helping them to be part of the solution to
climate change.

"One of the best things governments can do is to guarantee a fair price
for all renewable energy generated by anyone, giving householders,
farmers and businesses the certainty they and their banks need to invest
in solar panels, wind turbines or any other renewable energy
technology."

Following Germany's lead, many countries and states around the world
have introduced feed-in tariffs and seen their renewable energy supply
boom, creating jobs and investment and reducing greenhouse emissions.
Recent studies from the International Energy Agency and Ernst & Young
have shown that feed-in tariffs are more effective and cheaper than
quota systems such as Australia's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. The
UK is already taking this recent advice.

Several Australian States and Territories have proposed or active
feed-in tariffs, but all are different and most are deeply flawed. The
biggest problems are in limiting payments to solar power, to small scale
generation, and to 'net' generation, instead of all power generated.

Senator Milne said, "The Greens are calling for uniform gross-metered
feed-in tariffs, supplementing the MRET, to ensure that people get fair
pay for all renewable energy generated from any source of any size."

A Senate Inquiry report into Senator Milne's Bill will be tabled
tomorrow, sparking the next phase in the national debate, leading
towards November's COAG meeting.

Contact: Tim Hollo on 0437 587 562
 

Notes

*	"Feed-in tariffs", also known as renewable energy price
guarantees, were pioneered in Germany at the instigation of the German
Greens. The world-leading success of Germany's renewable energy industry
is clearly attributable to this policy.
*	"Feed-in tariffs" operate by guaranteeing a set fair price for
any renewable energy sent into the grid for a set period of time.
o	The price is tailored to the developmental stage and needs of
each technology and the requirements of the energy network.
o	The price is guaranteed for a set period for each installation
when it goes online, but the price for new installations is adjusted
regularly as circumstances change.
o	Costs for the payments are spread evenly across all energy
users. 
*	Where up-front subsidies are inherently unstable and
unpredictable, as the recent history of Australia's solar rebate shows,
"feed-in tariffs" provide long-term investment certainty for anyone who
wishes to invest in renewable energy, be they a householder, a business
owner or a large-scale investor.
*	Where the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target benefits only the
cheapest possible renewable energy technologies, "feed-in tariffs" help
bring online a broad array of different technologies, helping them
become more mature and market-ready.
*	A recent study by global accounting firm, Ernst and Young, found
that Germany's "feed-in tariff" delivers more renewable energy at a
lower cost than the UK's Renewable Obligation and trading scheme:
o
http://www.ey.com/Global/assets.nsf/International/Industry_Utilities_Ren
ewable_energy_country_attractiveness_indices/$file/Industry_Utilities_Re
newable_energy_country_attractiveness_indices.pdf
*	A recent report by the International Energy Agency found that
"feed-in tariffs" are more effective and cheaper than tradable quota
systems such as Australia's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target:
o	http://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/DeployRenew2008SUM.pdf
*	The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has been
considering how best to harmonise the various approaches being taken by
State and Territory Governments to "feed-in tariffs". Discussion is
expected at the upcoming November COAG meeting. Greens MPs in every
Parliament (except the NT) have been working to improve proposed and
existing legislation.
o	Harmonisation is a worthy goal, but it must be aimed at the best
policy design which ensures fair payment for all renewable energy
generated, not just 'net' generation, from all renewable energy
technologies, and from installations of any size. Most State schemes
lack some or all of these key principles.
*	The Senate Inquiry into Christine Milne's Private Member's Bill
for a "feed-in tariff", which received overwhelmingly positive
submissions, is due to table its report tomorrow, Monday November 10.

Tim Hollo
Media Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
ph: (02) 6277 3588
mob: 0437 587 562

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