A Renewable Guarantee for NSW - or lose our wind power
Date: 10-Nov-2005
Premier Morris Iemma should bring in a Renewable Guarantee to get 15% of NSW electricity from renewable energy by 2012 - or prepare to lose the State's fledgling wind power industry.
"The NSW Government should not let the opportunity for new green industry and jobs pass by. NSW can do even better than the recent Victorian 10% renewables announcement. We have an impressive range of new projects on the drawing board that could be built in the next five years if we introduce a Renewable Guarantee," said Ben Pearson from Greenpeace.
"If these go ahead they would generate more than $3 billion of investment in NSW and more than 2000 jobs, and give more than 1,500MW of renewable electricity capacity."
"Giving a Renewable Guarantee is like taking out an insurance policy for NSW consumers. It means a significant supply of clean energy without greenhouse pollution, at the lowest costs," said Jay Rutovitz of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
NSW is being left out of the renewable revolution with most renewable developments going to South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.
New renewable energy projects are not viable without the green electricity market the Commonwealth Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target provided. This has now been filled up, five years early. Without expansion of the market, the industry will go elsewhere.
"The NSW government needs to step in where the Commonwealth has failed. NSW needs a Renewable Guarantee of 15% by 2012 and 25% by 2020. The impact on consumers would be negligible, adding about $15 per year to the average household bill in 2012," said Jeff Angel of Total Environment Centre.
"A Renewable Guarantee would mean enough market growth to support manufacturing facilities for key renewable energy technologies. We urge Premier Iemma to act now."