Absolute legend:
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill is lifting his state’s renewable energy target to 75 per cent by 2025, doubling down a controversial approach to energy policy that has angered the Turnbull government.
Mr Weatherill, who faces an election on March 17 in which energy policy is one of the main issues, said on Wednesday he believed the majority of voters backed the ambitious move.
“They don’t want us to stop,” Mr Weatherill said on Wednesday at the former Holden car-making plant, where he also announced that Carnegie Clean Energy is setting up a storage battery project with a rooftop solar panels component.
He also said the strong stance would attract even more investment from renewables firms. “We’re sending a signal to the world,” he said. But the new target was labelled as “madness” by Federal Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday morning. He likened Mr Weatherill to being like a problem gambler “doubling down on losses”. He was speaking on local radio station 5AA and is scheduled to give a press conference late morning in Adelaide on the South Australian Government’s new target.
More:
The South Australian Labor government will lift the state’s renewable energy target to 75 per cent and set a 25 per cent target for renewable energy storage by 2025, if returned at the March state election.
Premier Jay Weatherill says the two initiatives will help drive down power prices and maintain the state’s leadership position in the renewable energy sector.
Mr Weatherill says the plan to have Australia’s first renewable energy storage target will also drive the installation of 750 megawatts of battery capacity, equal to about a quarter of the state’s average peak demand.
“More renewable energy means cheaper power for South Australians and energy storage is the key to delivering that low-cost electricity around the clock,” Mr Weatherill said.
Labor will commit $20 million over four years to leverage private sector investment in extra storage with the increased renewable energy target also designed to send a message to energy companies to develop new projects.
SA has some of the best renewable power assets in the world yet to monetised. As battery costs tumble is will become a beacon of renewable power worldwide.
Moreover, the quicker it can get away from the Coalition’s protected gas cartel the cheaper its power will become.
Weatherill for PM.
Or you can have this tripe:
