Energy Minister Angus Taylor has confirmed the Morrison government will not replace the renewable energy target after it peaks in 2020, officially creating a policy vacuum that opponents say will stifle clean energy investment and lead to higher prices.
In question time on Tuesday, Greens MP Adam Bandt challenged Mr Taylor to extend the target until 2022 to avoid a disastrous plunge in renewables investment when the current target ends.
“The
renewable energy target is going to wind down from 2020, it reaches its
peak in 2020, and we won't be replacing that with anything,” Mr Taylor
said.
The target involves the creation of tradeable certificates which encourage electricity from renewable sources. It aims for 23.5 per cent of Australia's energy to be sourced from clean sources such as wind and solar by 2020.
As prime minister, Tony Abbott wound back the scheme and as recently as last week reportedly agitated against it at a meeting attended by Mr Taylor.
Mr Taylor, who has campaigned against
wind farms, said Australia will reach its target to cut emissions from
the electricity sector by 26 per cent “without additional intervention”.
He
said a 50 per cent renewable energy target in South Australia had led
to some of the highest electricity prices in the country.
 |
| Mr Taylor has previously campaigned against wind farms. Photo: Supplied |
Labor’s
pledge for a 45 per cent emissions reduction across the economy would
mean “we will all pay more for our electricity,” he said.
“We are
absolutely confident that in the absence of those subsidies, we will get
the investment we need in the network,” he said.
Chief
Scientist Alan Finkel least year recommended the government adopt a
'clean energy target' to replace the expiring renewables target. The
Coalition declined to adopt that recommendation, saying the rapidly
falling cost of renewable energy meant subsidies were no longer
required.
It instead developed the National Energy Guarantee, which proposed to address the so-called “trilemma” of energy affordability, reliability and emissions.
The Center for Global Development's commitment to development index said the environment was “one of Australia’s weaker policy fields ... largely due to its poor performance curbing climate change”.
The government is now wholly focused on making energy supplies more reliable and affordable, including through the implementation of select recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s report into energy pricing.
Mr Taylor told Parliament
the government would “back investment in fair dinkum reliable
generation because that's what this country needs”.It instead developed the National Energy Guarantee, which proposed to address the so-called “trilemma” of energy affordability, reliability and emissions.
However
Prime Minister Scott Morrison dumped emissions reduction from the
government’s energy agenda following his ascension to the top job.
An annual index released on Tuesday put Australia in the bottom three ranking for environmental policy among wealthy nations.The Center for Global Development's commitment to development index said the environment was “one of Australia’s weaker policy fields ... largely due to its poor performance curbing climate change”.
The government is now wholly focused on making energy supplies more reliable and affordable, including through the implementation of select recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s report into energy pricing.
It also intends to set a price safety net for all customers and stop “rip-offs from the big energy companies".
“We will drive prices down, that's our policy, those opposite will drive them up,” he said.Links
- Scott Morrison Says National Energy Guarantee 'Is Dead'
- Australia ranks in bottom three rich countries for environmental policies
- Paris climate deal doesn't stop us building new coal plants, Canavan says
- Australia’s authority in Pacific 'being eroded by refusal to address climate change'
- Scott Morrison contradicts energy advice, saying Paris targets can be met 'at a canter'
- 'Bad policy': Tony Abbott contradicts PM on national energy guarantee
- What is the national energy guarantee and why is it taking so long?
- Turnbull's national energy guarantee could have 'no meaningful emission reduction'
- Design of national energy guarantee revealed, but key details omitted
- Turnbull's national energy guarantee a step closer after Jay Weatherill's exit
- What is the national energy guarantee and is it really a game changer?
- Scott Morrison says partisan politics has driven up power prices
No comments:
Post a Comment