Renewable energy targets of 100% for Canberra by 2025

By Anonymous
August 22, 2015

Abc.net.au has reported (22/08/2015) on plans by the ACT Government to 100 per cent power Canberra by renewable energy by 2025.

Over the next five years, the ACT have committed to a target of 90 per cent renewable energy. They have the backing of a series of large scale local and interstate solar and wind projects.

Environment Minister Simon Corbell said that this new target would create more investment and jobs in the ACT economy and there would be huge reductions in the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Corbell would like to see more growth in the low-carbon economy and that the new target would make Canberra a leader nationally and abroad. He recognises the enormous global market in renewables and wants to attract some of that investment into Canberra.

60 per cent of the renewable energy target will be achieved by 2017 and 80 per cent by 2018 through the large scale wind and solar auctions.

Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson had concerns that this renewable energy target would drive up power bills.

Mr Hanson is very supportive of renewable energy but sees a problem when the target goes up to 100 per cent and the enormous impact it will have on power bills across Canberra.

With recent rates tripling, Mr Hanson has concerns that everybody's power bill will become unaffordable.

The Canberra Liberals are still formulating a policy on a renewable energy target leading up to the next election. Their current policy is a 30 per cent carbon emission reduction target.