Clean Energy Council Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future urges policy for rapid transition
Federal Election Policy Recommendations nine-point plan posits renewables as a priority
As Australians turn their attention towards the upcoming Federal Election, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) today launched its Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future: Federal Election Policy Recommendations, which urges Australia's political leaders to commit to meeting the country's domestic electricity demand with clean energy by 2030.
"Clean energy can create thousands of new jobs, empower consumers, bring economic activity to regional communities, lower power prices and create the smart infrastructure of the future that can cement Australia's place as a global clean energy superpower," says Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton.
"More renewable energy investment is crucial for Australia to prepare for the inevitable exit of ageing coal generators over the coming decade."
The Clean Energy Council's nine-point plan consists of the following policy recommendations:
- Electrify Australia: power the Australian economy and industry with wind, solar, hydro, bioenergy and battery storage.
- Empower customers and communities to make the switch to clean energy.
- Build a strong, smart, 21st-century electricity network.
- Maximise the creation of quality clean energy jobs and a local supply chain.
- Provide greater support and certainty for coal communities and industry as the phase-out of coal generation accelerates.
- Modernise Australia's energy market and its governance for the clean energy transformation.
- Turbo-charge clean energy innovation.
- Decarbonise Australian industries using clean energy.
- Put Australia on a path to becoming a global clean energy superpower that exports renewable energy to Asia and beyond.
While state and territory governments have become the torchbearers of policy ambition for Australia's clean energy transition in recent years, the Clean Energy Council argues that the Federal Government needs to take the lead on a strong and co-ordinated strategy to facilitate private investment in low-cost clean energy.
"Voters will back policy that promotes emissions reduction and, critically, the Australian business community supports an acceleration of Australia's decarbonisation efforts," says Thornton.
"An electricity grid powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 will deliver emissions reductions based on 2005 levels of 44.5 percent – and it comes with the upsides of jobs, investment and growth."
"This is our golden opportunity that equals billions of dollars' worth of private sector investment, tens of thousands of quality jobs, economic growth and new industries to help sustain regional communities for decades to come."
The CEC's full Federal Election Policy Recommendations can be found on the Clean Energy Council website here.
