WA Power Prices Soar as Rest of World Embraces Renewables
Thursday 4 July 2013
Greens WA spokesperson on Climate Change and Energy, Robin Chapple MLC, today noted the glaring discrepancy between WA’s snail-paced progress towards renewable energy and the rapid take-up by other countries.
“The latest International Energy Agency report shows that the world is on track for 25% of its electricity needs being met by renewables by 2018, while here in WA our share is a miserable 5%.
http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2013/june/name,39156,en.html
“Minister Nahan let the cat out of the bag last week, after I forced his public admission of huge price rises around the corner for the state’s domestic gas supply, which feeds directly into household electricity charges.
“Industry groups are seriously alarmed, with our off-grid Pilbara miners also staring down the barrel at gas price rises, or supply constraints, which will deal a hefty blow to their operating margins.
“We just can’t afford to let our energy policy drift aimlessly along on its current path to a high-cost, high-polluting future.
“But there’s good news about renewables all around – it just needs the Energy Minister to take off the blinkers and learn from it.
- “There’s the recent AEMO report into how renewables could power 100% of Australia’s major electricity grid
- “There’s the inexorable downward trend in costs of renewables, waving farewell to the eve-increasing costs of old energy, as they cross over on the cost-benefit curve
- “There’s the survey results which show the overwhelming preference of West Aussies for solar and wind power
- “There’s the working examples of renewable energy generation springing up around the world
“And there’s the Greens detailed Energy 2029 plan for converting Perth and the South West electricity grid to renewables.
“I’m sure the public of WA are heartily sick of the unfolding spectacle of the Muja bungle which, unfortunately, just typifies the failed and broken thinking which is at the heart of this state’s energy policy.
“We all want the Minister to show a bit of leadership, and set WA on a course to the energy future – which is all about renewables”, Mr Chapple concluded.
Energy 2029 plan: http://www.greenswa.net.au/energy2029
