Presented by Energy Matters team member Virginia, we take a look at some of the stories from Australia and around the world recently added to our renewable energy news section.
In this episode, Virginia reports on Melbourne’s “Little Audrey” now skipping on the power of the sun, plans by South Australia’s largest electricity retailer to again increase electricity prices, the launch of Australia’s Clean Technology Investment Programs and a campaign to stop the burning of Australia’s native forests being recognised as renewable energy.
In this episode:
– Australia’s first neon sign, the iconic Skipping Girl in Melbourne is now skipping on the power of the sun, thanks to solar. To mark the 75th anniversary of the original sign, AGL has switched the Skipping Girl over to solar power with 27 solar panels. Read more.
– South Australia’s largest energy retailer plans to increase the average annual household electricity bill by an extra $150. AGL has made a submission to the Essential Services Commission of SA applying for an increase in prices to cover the cost of Australia’s carbon tax, which will be introduced in July this year.
If granted, this increase will not be the end of electricity price hikes. July will not only herald the beginning of the carbon tax, but will also see a 33 percent reduction in the government’s solar rebate scheme. Read more.
– The Government has launched its Clean Technology Investment Programs designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The funds are split across two initiatives, the $800 million dollar Clean Technology Investment Program and the $200 million Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program. The former is geared towards firms with an annual electricity consumption of at least 300 megawatt hours or 5 Terajoules of natural gas. The latter will specifically support food and beverage processing firms and metal foundries. Read more.
– Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has tabled a notice to disallow a regulation to stop native forest wood waste being accredited as renewable energy under the Renewable Energy Target. Political action group GetUp has launched a campaign against the notice, saying that it undermines the investment in renewable energy projects such as solar power and endangers native forests. The group says removal of the regulation would create a new market for logging native forests. Read more.
