This week promises to be an important one for renewable energy in Australia, with key pieces of legislation to be negotiated that will not only impact greatly on Australia’s response to dealing with climate change, but also on the future of the Australian solar and wind power industry.
The Federal Government has faced harsh criticism from the Opposition and the Greens for attempting to link the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme with the new Solar Credits program; part of the new Renewable Energy Target legislation.
Shortly after the solar credits program announcement last week the Government said the opposition must pass both the Renewable Energy Target and the CPRS legislation – or neither.
The Opposition had expressed it was prepared to support legislation that would see an increased uptake of renewable energy, but is opposed to the Emissions Trading Scheme.
The Coalition’s environment spokesman, Greg Hunt, says it would be a disgrace if this Government held up renewable energy projects for “naked political gamesmanship“.
Greens Senator Christine Milne said the Government “are now sinking to low levels”. Independent senator Nick Xenophon believes “a lot of people see that as being pretty sneaky”.
After the backlash from all quarters on the linking of the two policies, including voices of dissent emanating from climate change rallies held throughout the country over the weekend, there have been conflicting reports as to how tough the Government’s stance is; with some saying the Government has indicated it may be prepared to negotiate.
Also expected to see further discussion in the Senate during the next fortnight is the subject of a national, uniform gross feed in tariff for renewable energy.
After the abrupt end to the $8,000 rebate last week and the immediate start to the Solar Credits program, which is available to many more Australians but provides less incentive on smaller renewable energy systems such as home solar power; a petition being run by solar power company Energy Matters at FeedInTariff.com.au saw a sudden up-tick in signatures. Well over a thousand Australians have signed the petition in the last few days, bringing the total number so far to over 16,000.
Senator Christine Milne has been a driving force behind the implementation of a national feed in tariff program for Australia and believes “the Government is floundering in the dark on solar energy when the answer is staring them in the face with a Private Member’s Bill for a feed-in tariff that I have currently in the Senate”.
