Enhanced Renewable Energy Target has potential to revive renewables industry
National – Friday 26 February 2010
The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) today welcomed the Government’s announcement to modify the Renewable Energy Target (RET) to provide greater certainty to Australian households and businesses wanting to invest in small-scale renewable technologies and increase the opportunity for the large-scale renewables industry.
“Whilst we don’t yet have all of the details and the proposed changes are subject to a parliamentary vote, it would appear that a number of the RET flaws that we have been highlighting to Government over the past 18 months will be dealt with under these new amendments,” said Damien Moyse, ATA’s Energy Policy Manager.
ATA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ian Porter said “The changes should allow households and businesses that want to go further than the restrictive Government mandated targets to achieve their goals.”
“The enhanced RET also provides the opportunity to revive the large-scale renewables market and get the Renewable Electricity Certificate price back up to a level that will provide necessary financial support.”
The ATA highlighted that whilst the amendments were a step in the right direction, the RET itself was only one part of the policy mix required to drive Australia’s low carbon economy to a level that it can meet the urgency of the climate change challenge.
“The RET alone cannot deliver the level of emissions reductions we need in the timeframe we require to deal with the climate emergency,” said Mr Moyse.
What is needed is;
- A price on carbon through an economy wide mechanism such as a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme;
- Exponential investment in energy efficiency right across the energy market, building codes and appliance standards;
- Strong support for emerging large and small scale sustainable technologies;
- Strong skills and training programs.
For more information, please contact:
Ian Porter, Chief Executive Officer, Ph (03) 9631 5404 or email ian@ata.org.au
Damien Moyse, Energy Policy Manager, Ph (03) 9631 5417 or email Damien@ata.org.au
