The ACT’s Minister for the Environment launched a new strategy on Friday designed to enhance collaboration between industry and research sectors with regard to renewable energy.
With a focus on solar, wind and energy storage, the Renewable Energy Industry Development Strategy will facilitate the next generation of renewable energy technologies, including the creation of a renewable energy precinct and testing facilities according to Minister Simon Corbell.
“The ACT Government sees renewable energy as a tremendous opportunity, not only in terms of playing our part to address climate change and bring renewable energy to the people of Canberra, but also to create jobs, and to build a stronger, more diverse and robust ACT economy,” said the Minister.
Part of the strategy is a $1.2 million Renewable Energy Innovation Fund, which may be utilised to provide competitive, project-specific grants or contracts to emerging ACT-based renewable energy businesses for small-scale projects.
Minister Corbell stated the ACT Government is on track to meet its target of achieving 90% renewable energy by 2020.
“Through the 40MW solar and 200MW wind auctions, the ACT Government is on track to meet its target of achieving 90% renewable energy by 2020, and bring renewable energy to the people of Canberra at the lowest possible price,” Mr Corbell said.
The cost of meeting the Territory’s ambitious target will peak at around $4 per household per week and is offset by savings from energy efficiency improvement schemes.
Yesterday, Minister Corbell was in Adelaide to attend a climate change meeting with South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and Environment Minister Ian Hunter, Victorian Environment Minister Lisa Neville, Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Ms Christiana Figueres.
The meeting concerned states working together to address the growing threat of climate change and provided insight into local and international developments in reducing carbon emissions.
” We need to work together, sharing information and resources to push towards a decarbonised future and the most effective way of abating carbon is to switch to large-scale renewable energy,” said Minister Corbell, who also encouraged the Federal Government to set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets at crucial climate talks in Paris later this year.
