Some corners, notably major carbon polluters, have urged gutting Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). However, the solar industry warns hacking at the RET will undermine investor confidence in the Australian energy market as a whole and argues that if anything, it should be expanded.
A communiqué from a solar policy summit held in Canberra last week says the Federal Government should maintain the (RET), with both a Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) and a Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).
The document says the RET has delivered cost-effective clean electricity for consumers, played a role in reducing wholesale electricity prices and will help to reduce electricity network costs – the major culprit behind electricity price rises.
More than four million Australians now have solar hot water and/or solar power systems installed. Contrary to anti-solar misinformation campaigns claiming solar is a plaything of the wealthy, most of these systems are owned by low-middle income households. These households not only benefit from lower electricity bills, but also strike a blow for carbon emissions reduction and supporting local green collar industry.
“The Renewable Energy Target (RET) is the most successful and effective public policy measure to move Australia from excessive reliance on fossil fuels for electricity towards a clean energy economy, and the only long-term measure providing investment certainty,” says part of the statement.
The RET is in place to ensure more than 45,000 gigawatt hours of electricity will be generated from renewable energy sources in 2020.
The solar industry is also calling for a reduction in the frequency of reviews of the Renewable Energy Target to help provide certainty for investors, a reasonable price for solar electricity exported to the mains grid and enshrining a right for all Australians to have their solar power systems connected to mains grid infrastructure.
The joint communiqué was endorsed by the Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES), the Australian PV Association (APVA), the Australian Solar Thermal Energy Association (AUSTELA), the Australian Technology Association (ATA), REC Agents Association, the Solar Business Council and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
