Federal decision on the renewable energy target scheme
MEDIA RELEASE - Federal decision on the renewable energy target scheme
May 2015
The wait is finally over on the federal decision about the future of the renewable energy target (RET) scheme for Australia.The federal government this week came to bipartisan agreement to lower the target from 41,000 gigawatt hours to 33,000 and to abolish the requirement for the scheme to be reviewed every two years.Though the target decrease has caused some dispute, the decision means both certainty and an opportunity for the renewable energy sector and will kick start investment that has long been put on hold.
The original RET scheme was designed to ensure that 20 per cent of Australia's electricity is generated by renewable sources by 2020, with the goal being to generate electricity from a diverse range of cleaner sources, whilst supporting employment growth in the sector.
Shire President Wade DeCampo, who has teamed up with Rick Wilson MP to push for a decision on the RET scheme since the announcement of its review in 2014, said "the RET scheme is designed to encourage the generation of electricity from renewable sources. It's about reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector and ensuring the sustainability of renewable energy sources."
"The decision about the RET means that Australia is moving along with leading countries in the areas of sustainability and renewable energy production, and it also means big things for the region as there is huge potential for us to be playing a part in producing part of that RET."
"In supporting this decision we're supporting an economically sustainable future for the renewable energy sector, as well as a more viable future of the sector in our region along with other complementary industries," explained Cr DeCampo.
"We're saying yes to training opportunities, we're saying yes to sustainable jobs for Manjimup and surrounding areas and we're saying yes to reducing the carbon footprint by generating energy through biomass."
Click here for further information on the Renewable Energy Target scheme.
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Authorised by Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Manjimup.
Contact: 9771 7777
Contact Gina Nieuwendyk, Public Relations Officer, Shire of Manjimup
Contact: 9771 7777
Contact for comment: Wade DeCampo, Shire President.
Contact: 0427 094 081
