Tasmania can play a important role in meeting clean energy needs
TASMANIA’S peak employer body, the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) says the State can play a major role in meeting Australia’s clean energy needs.
In evidence to the senate select committee on fuel and energy’s Hobart hearings, TCCI managing director Andrew Scobie said it was critical Tasmania’s energy needs were considered at a national level.
“With the right incentives, Tasmania can play a significant part in solving the nation’s clean energy requirements,” Mr Scobie said.
“Yet, as it currently stands, under the proposed emissions trading rules Tasmanian business would be punished for using the cleanest energy in the nation.
“Why should a Tasmanian business using clean hydro electricity pay the same price as a business powered by greenhouse gas-producing brown coal?”
Mr Scobie said that the cost and reliability of energy supply in Tasmania continued to be a major constraint on business growth, with more than 50 per cent of Tasmanian businesses surveyed by the TCCI reporting that they were concerned at the rising cost of energy.
“Tasmania and the entire nation desperately need more investment in renewable energy generation. Yet our biggest generator, Hydro Tasmania, does not have the financial capacity to undertake further large-scale investment.
“We need to remove the significant structural, institutional and competitive barriers that prevent other parties undertaking energy investment in Tasmania.”
Mr Scobie said Tasmania had vast untapped energy generation capacity across wind, wave, tidal, biomass and hot rock resources.
“This is a renewable energy base of national significance and capable of addressing the nation’s energy needs in a carbon-constrained world.
“The senate inquiry, in considering Tasmania’s energy requirements and potential, can help shed some light on one of the major challenges inhibiting the economic development of the State,” Mr Scobie said.
Aug 05, 2009
Yes we need renewable energy, but it doesn’t have to be from big investors. If householders could get a decent return via a feed-in tariff, there would be more individuals prepared to invest.
It would create more green jobs, it would reduce our reliance on non-renewables, and it would give a boost to the renewable energy industry as a whole.
If Germany can turn their energy industry around in that way, why can’t we?
Only because our governments lack the necessary inspiration.
Aug 06, 2009
Before we spend money on building more generation we should be looking at the way we waste what we already have. The approach should rather be to get our efficiencies up in the home (industry are already trying it through the EEO program). This could be done by offereing more incentive. This would result in less wastage and relatively less demand for energy. We would therefore not need to build more generation at the rate required now. Once we have got the efficiencies right we can replace polluting technology with clean reneawble technology and end up with an overall more efficient system.
BUT this approach would not happen on a big scale as less energy usage means less money to energy providers means less profit means job losses etc etc etc. In our consumer driven capitalistic market it would not work.
It needs to be driven by a decsision to do what is right and for the “future of our children” Not by bottom line profit margins.
Its not going to be easy and hopefully it wont be too late when someone in a position o power “sees the light”