Energy White Paper 2014 –
Issues Paper submission template
Details of person making the submission
First Name
Jaime
Surname
Yallup Farrant
Country (if not Australia)
State
WA
Company or Organisation (if relevant)
350 Perth, 350 Australia
Position in Organisation (if relevant)
City Co-ordinator
Type of Organisation. Please choose from the
dropdown list right
Non-Government Organisation
Sector. Please choose from the dropdown list
right
Other Services
Email. Please provide an email address if you
would like to receive updates from the Energy
White Paper Taskforce
jaime@rraft.com.au
Confidentiality
Submissions may be published on the Department of Industry website.
If you do not wish to have your submission made public, please tick the box.
Issues for comment are listed against each of the Chapter Headings. In making your submission, you
are welcome to make comment against some or all of issues in the fields provided. A field for general
comments is provided at the end of the template.
Input Fields for Energy White Paper – Issues Paper submission template
1
1. The Security of Energy Supplies
The Government seeks comment on:

ways community expectations can be better understood and reflected in reliability standards;

the value of developing fuel reserves to meet Australia’s international oil security obligations, and augment
domestic security;

ways to increase new gas sources to meet demand and measures to enhance transparency in market
conditions; and

issues relating to the regulation of energy infrastructure.
Please provide any comments on The Security of Energy Supplies below:
The Australian community wants, expects and now demands a safe, clean climate with its reliable
energy supplies. Due to manmade, accelerating climate change caused by the burning of polluting
fossil fuels, this expectation can now only be met by switching to clean, renewable energy sources - a
mix of solar, wind, solar thermal, solar hot water, solar aircon, geothermal, etc.
This is because international climate scientists, governments and leading institutions such as the UN,
World Bank, IPCC and CSIRO etc now agree that dangerous manmade climate change via further rises
in global temperatures caused by continued burning of fossil fuels will result in unacceptable impacts
and risks for communities and economies.
In order to prevent a dangerous global rise of 2 degrees Celsius, Australia must now join other
countries and move quickly to a low carbon economy, leaving 80% of its fossil fuel reserves in the
ground, with the aim of achieving a zero emission economy by 2050. This is because no more than 565
gigatonnes of carbon emissions - and probably much less - can be released between now and 2050
globally, yet the fossil fuel industry currently has 2795 gigatonnes of carbon in reserve.
(References include World Energy Outlook Special Report 2013: Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map,
International Energy Agency 2013; World Bank report Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4 degree world must
be avoided, 2013; The Critical Decade, 2013 by the Climate Commission; and Four Degrees of Global
Warming: Australia in a Hot World by Christoff et al.)
In fact, the World Bank and UN Climate Chief are among those leaders now urging investors to divest
from fossil fuels - oil, coal and gas - for these very reasons. Concerns about the looming carbon bubble
and resulting stranded carbon assets have been expressed by organisations such as Goldman Sachs,
HSBC, the IMF, Citi, Generation Foundation and the Climate Council.
The Australian community expectation is that its Government must protect its citizens and meet its
obligations to the Australian public by not developing fossil fuel reserves or continuing to enable
Australia to be dependent upon fossil fuels which put Australian lives, property and economies at risk
from dangerous climate change, pollution and contamination from toxic substances.
The Australian community does not want to be exposed to the serious, high risks of contamination of
land and water, and associated health impacts (as evidenced already in Australia and experienced in
many overseas countries), from the exploration and production of unconventional gas. The risks to the
already overheating climate, to fragile aquifers and water supplies, and to land used for agricultural
production, are unacceptable to the Australian public. Demand must instead be shifted away from fossil
fuels to renewables as a matter of urgency.
The Government must make switching to renewables its policy and priority given the urgency and scale
of anticipated impacts from climate change, and the narrowing window we still have to prevent
catastrophic extreme weather events. There is no longer any safe level of fossil fuel burning. No new
gas sources must therefore be developed.
The Renewable Energy Target must be retained as a minimum, and increased in order to encourage
uptake, and the Clean Energy Package retained as an effective measure in reducing carbon emissions.
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Clean, safe renewable energies are abundantly available as a plentiful resource in Australia, and are
reliable - for example a new ARENA-funded study by the Australian Solar Thermal Energy Association,
UTS, UNSW, Ergon Energy and IT Power, found solar thermal a cost-effective alternative now able to be
integrated with the National Electricity Market to supply energy 24 hours a day.
Denmark ran 55% of its electricity via wind in December 2013. Renewables helped to buffer Australian
electricity grids from shutdowns during recent record heatwaves - for instance in South Australia in
January. A mix of renewable energies and battery storage - forecast to grow in 2014 with product cost
reductions - can provide Uninterrupted Power Supply systems.
Renewable energy is also a low security risk, not requiring military protection of installations at great
cost to the taxpayer, nor subject to production supply issues or fluctuating raw material prices of the
readily available and renewable resource.
Renewable energy has many advantages over fossil fuels, including lack of costly exploration, high
extraction costs and long distance transport/distribution costs from bringing fuel to maket from remote
production areas, along with increased safety of handling and extremely low to zero contamination
risks.
2. Regulatory Reform and Role of Government
The Government seeks comment on:

priority issues, barriers or gaps within the COAG energy market reform agenda;

possible approaches and impacts of review of tariff structures including fixed network costs, further time-ofuse based electricity tariffs and the use of smart meters;

possible measures to promote greater price transparency in gas markets; and

areas where further privatisation of government-owned assets would contribute to more effective regulatory
frameworks and better outcomes for consumers.
Please provide any comments on Regulatory Reform and Role of Government below:
Citizens taking responsible, ethical measures to help reduce carbon emissions by using renewable
energy should not be penalised for doing so. In fact there should be incentives and encouragement by
the Australian Government to significantly increase the uptake of renewable energies and products by
domestic, business and large infrastructure customers, and to increase large scale renewables
ventures such as solar, solar thermal and wind farms.
Increasing Australia's use of and investment in renewable energies and infrastructure must be a priority
so that Australia can significantly reduce its carbon emissions in light of urgent global efforts to
prevent dangerous climate change while mitigation still possible.
Customers and sectors in transition from fossil fuels should be moved to purchasing 100% Greenpower
at current mainstream electricity rates, while any remaining coal-fired and gas-based energy usage
should be phased out and charged at a higher premium rate in the interim to reflect its true
environmental and social costs, and to encourage rapid movement to renewables. Fossil fuel subsidies,
for instance for mining, should be stopped immediately to reflect true costs of polluting power sources.
It's imperative that the Government provide strong and stable regulatory frameworks to assist in the
transition to low carbon energy production resulting in zero carbon emissions by 2050. We have seen
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and continue to see the power of vested interests from within the fossil fuel industry weakening
regulatory frameworks. The consequences of unfettered fossil fuel use for the Australian public are
dire and the Government has a clear and expected role in protecting Australians from the immediate
and long term health, social and economic effects of extremely dangerous climate change.
3. Growth and Investment
The Government seeks comment on:

commercial or market initiatives that could enhance growth and investment in the energy and resources
sectors;

areas where approvals processes could be further streamlined while maintaining proper environmental and
social safeguards;

further ways that regulatory burdens could be reduced while maintaining appropriate levels of disclosure and
transparency in energy markets; and

the impacts of variable land access policy and ways the community could be better informed and engaged on
development in the energy sector.
Please provide any comments on Growth and Investment below:
Only renewable, non-fossil fuel energy sources should now be encouraged to grow and attract
investment in Australia given the fact that it has been scientifically proven that the burning of fossil
fuels is causing manmade climate change.
Scientists warn there is no longer any safe level of use of gas, coal and oil given the clear and present
danger posed by continued global warming. Fossil fuel use must be phased out as a matter of urgency,
public interest and economic necessity given the risks.
Taxpayer subsidies of fossil fuels (such as the $7b over four years to the mining sector) must be
removed immediately. Unsubsidised, clean renewable energy is already cheaper than fossil fuels
(Bloomberg New Energy Finance), and renewables are zero emission and thus climate-friendly, helping
Australia to meet its own and international obligations on carbon emission reductions.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation must be retained and its successful encouragement of and
returns to taxpayers of thriving renewable energy ventures such as the expanding Sundrop Farms
continued.
Environmental and social safeguards must be strengthened to protect the Australian public. Australian
citizens are already at risk from growing climate pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels which
are causing accelerating climate change.
Australians do not want themselves, their families, farms, communities and waterways to be further
exposed to the high risks of likely contamination from the exploration for and production of
unconventional gas. As coastal communities are forced to move inland from sea level rises with climate
change, productive agriculture land will be under even more pressure and rise in value to feed and
water migrating populations.
Evidence exists that fracking, gas production and burning of gas creates unsafe emissions which are
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scientifically proven to cause climate change, so there is no safe level of such activity.
4. Trade and International Relations
The Government seeks comment on:

how to grow the export of value-added energy products and services;

ways to remove unnecessary barriers to continued foreign investment in Australia’s energy sector;

ways to strengthen support for access to export markets; and

ways to support business to maximise export opportunities for Australia's energy commodities, products,
technologies and services, including the value of Australia’s participation in the variety of international forums.
Please provide any comments on Trade and International Relations below:
Australia cannot afford the physical or economic impacts from dangerous climate change - if fossil
fuels continue to be produced, burnt and exported as planned, the resulting extreme weather events
and other effects of climate change such as sea level rises will wreck the Australian economy, its export
and import trade capabilities, and cost many lives.
Other countries similarly affected by global warming will also suffer disruptions to their own
economies, exports and imports - some are already suffering millions in lost local trade, property and
infrastructure such as coastal rail in southwestern England.
Therefore only clean, safe renewables and associated technologies, products, businesses and
intellectual property etc should be considered for sanction by the Abbott Government for sustainable
growth, investment and export.
Otherwise the Government is sanctioning and encouraging profiteering from pollution, along with
known environmental destruction of our own and the global climate, upon which all Australians depend
for life and livelihood.
Similarly, facilitiating the export of such known toxic substances which will endanger lives and
economies when used overseas is far too risky an undertaking for Australia and leaves us open for
litigation as ecocide cases begin and class actions relating to communities impacted by pollution,
climate change and extreme weather events.
Australia must join other countries already taking steps to move to low carbon, and then zero emission
economies. Scotland has undertaken to go 100% renewable by 2020, the EU 40% by 2030 on 1990
levels, South Korea 30%. China, India and the US are investing heavily in renewables - Australia is
currently an international laggard.
An Australian consortium SGI-Mitabu is leading the way in exporting its renewable energy technology
and expertise to Indonesia, establishing a 50 mw project with the Indonesian Ministry of Energy over
the past year.
Another renewables success, Sundrop Farms, is combining solar thermal desalination with the growing
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of horticultural crops in the desert, and this expanding project - supported by the CEFC - is in
conjunction with the University of London and has also attracted further international interest from the
Middle East. As our own coastal populations are forced inland with rising sea level rises, such
technology and food-water-energy nexus ventures will be vital for sustaining populations.
Over 30% of the global economy is already subject to some form of carbon-pricing, with increasing
decarbonisation efforts underway among major economies and countries like the US considering such
moves. For example, in China, air pollution concerns are leading to regulation and capping of coal
consumption, undermining Australian projects predicated on an endless Asian coal boom.
There is no longer a social licence for the fossil fuel industry to operate. With scientists proving that
fossil fuels cause climate change, and damage and insurance bills rising worldwide from extreme
weather events such as those record floods and coastal storm damage right now in the UK, the World
Bank and UN have urged investors and institutions to divest from the known dangerous pollutants.
The Australian public is becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of climate change, and what is
causing it. Divestment campaigns are gathering speed, and more communities and investors are
waking up to the unacceptable risks associated with unconventional gas production, and indeed to the
use of any fossil fuel.
Financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, the IEA, World Bank and HSBC have warned of stranded
carbon assets with the looming carbon bubble as the global carbon budget dwindles. Knowing that
most of Australia's reserves can never be safely burned, it is sheer insanity to continue to develop
them, and community and investor anger at both industry and Government will inevitably grow.
Following the nuclear disaster at Fukishima in Japan with Australian uranium still contaminating the
environment, the public no longer regards nuclear energy as a safe option in Australia. Scientists
writing in the 2014 Sustinable Energy Solutions for Climate warn it is certainly not a low emissions
alternative given its lifecycle carbon footprint.
Similarly there would also be considerable opposition to the development of further nuclear exports
given the hazard being sent to other nations. India is in a region considered increasingly politically
unstable with neighbouring Pakistan and China, and it would be concerning for Australia to be sending
increased nuclear capacity into this sensitive region at this time.
Environmental approvals and safeguards must be strengthened to safeguard the public and the
environment, farms and communities they depend on. There must not be concerted efforts to
encourage the polluting unconventional gas industry to expand its exploration and production, and
attempts to do so will be met with increasing community resistance given the serious high risks, and
resulting polluting emissions.
5. Workforce Productivity
The Government seeks comment on:

the nature of any current skills shortages being experienced and how these could be addressed by and with
industry;

the capacity of industry and education sector-led programs to meet long-term training and skills development
needs of the energy and resources sectors; and

specific long-term training and skills development needs for alternative transport fuel, renewable energy,
energy management and other clean energy industries.
Please provide any comments on Workforce Productivity below:
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We now know that more people are employed in renewables per dollar globally than in the fossil fuel
industry. Transitioning to a low carbon society and producing energy through a diversified range of
localised renewable technologies will present many opportunity for job growth.
However, training in renewable technologies must be a priority if Australia is to succesfully grow its own
industry, expertise, research and development, manufacturing and export and try to become competitive
in light of rapidly expanding industries and capacity in other countries.
Australia lags behind in university and training college courses, R&D, the integration of renewables
across all sectors, and in growing long term jobs and viable business enterprises in what is the vital zero
emission industry of the future.
There is also a need to retrain workers from the current fossil fuel industry as it inevitably winds down so
they can take new positions in the new industry.
Adapting to climate change will also require the creation of new jobs across the board in what will soon
become an urgent national crisis given anticipated extreme weather events.
6. Driving Energy Productivity
The Government seeks comment on:

the current suite of energy efficiency measures, ways these could be enhanced to provide greater energy
efficiency or possible new measures that would enhance energy productivity;

the use of demand-side participation measures to encourage energy productivity and reduce peak energy
use; and

measures to increase energy use efficiency in the transport sector.
Please provide any comments on Driving Energy Productivity below:
Stricter environmental standards and maximum GHG emissions limits must be set and enforced across
all sectors to effectively and quickly transition the Australian economy to a low carbon and then zero
emission economy if dangerous climate change is to be avoided.
This would give existing and new businesses providing renewable energy sources and products the
long term confidence required.
Transport must move to hybrid and electric vehicles, solar-powered refrigeration trucks, with rail
encouraged to further reduce emissions and relieve congestion on roads.
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7. Alternative and Emerging Energy Sources and Technology
The Government seeks comment on:

ways to encourage a lower emissions energy supply that avoids market distortion or causes increased energy
prices;

the need to review existing network tariff structures in the face of rapidly growing deployment of grid-backedup distributed energy systems, to ensure proper distribution of costs;

additional cost-effective means, beyond current mandatory targets and grants, to encourage further
development of renewable and other alternative energy sources and their effective integration within the wider
energy market;

how the uptake of high efficiency low emissions intensity electricity generation can be progressed;

any barriers to increased uptake of LPG in private and commercial vehicles and CNG and LNG in the heavy
vehicle fleet; and

any barriers to the increased uptake of electric vehicles and advanced biofuels.
Please provide any comments on Alternative and Emerging Energy Sources and Technology below:
The Government's priority needs to be the protection of the Australian public from dangerous climate
change - and so it must mandate low to zero emissions energy supplies and products. Fossil fuels must
be phased out as a matter of urgency.
Australia's current target of 5% reductions by 2020 on 2000 levels is woefully inadequate. Instead,
targets need to be raised in line with other countries taking measures - closer to 30-40% reductions in
total climate pollutants emitted in Australia based on 2000 levels by 2020 in order to transition to the
low carbon economy required.
By 2030 this target would need to be raised to 50-60% reduction in emissions, and to 100% by 2050 in
order to reach a zero emission economy in time if we are to have any chance of preventing catastrophic
and irreversible climate change.
Given this context, any review of tariffs should not penalise or jeopardise continued growth in uptake of
renewable energies at this crucial time, nor disadvantage consumers who have done the right thing and
been early adopters of renewable energy and technology.
A new ARENA-funded study by the Australian Solar Thermal Energy Association has shown 24 hrs a
day, cost-effective solar thermal power integration with the National Electricity Market, based on
extensive industry data.
The Government must mandate low emissions standards across all sectors. It must mandate that all
new vehicles meet strict low emissions standards in line with places like California - i.e. are efficient
hybrids or fully electric cars. The cost benefit analysis of such climate-friendly vehicles must be
provided and fully communicated to the public to show accurate cost and savings comparisons.
Electric vehicles are currently viewed as being much more expensive than petrol and diesel cars until
comparisons and breakeven points are shown across 5-10 years of petrol savings, lower servicing
charges and insurance premiums, etc. When charged by solar power, EV savings are increased, along
with the added benefit of a lowered payback time on solar.
Hybrids and EVs make excellent taxis and delivery vehicles as businesses can still charge out the same
cost to the consumer yet significantly reduce their fuel inputs, thus creating more profit. As well as a
growing number of hybrids and EVs coming onto the market, there are now electric vans, motorbikes
and scooters being produced. UK supermarkets were using solar powered refrigeration trucks in the
1990s.
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While considerable taxpayer money is spent on the Government's Fuelwatch scheme, this professes to
save motorists up to $1000 a year. Yet the petrol savings from an EV charged on solar is more than
double this amount. In the US, Ford packages up its EVs with installed home solar and chargepoint for
ongoing domestic savings. One new EV coming onto the market is offered with a solar carport option.
Real estate market advantages will likely soon begin to appear for climate-proofed solar/EV-installed
homes.
As well as more EV charging infrastructure within metropolitan areas and beyond - such as the planned
electric highway to Margaret River from Perth, the public needs to be given more information on the
environmental, social and cost benefits of EVs. For example, EVs do not produce carcinogenic fumes
which cause respiratory diseases, asthma attacks, etc. So their benefits go far beyond reduced
emissions and they should be acknowledged for their preventative health contribution to public health
services and thereby the economy.
In the UK businesses such as IKEA offer charging bays for EVs to encourage shoppers, and EV drivers
in other countries also pay less government fees and no congestion taxes on the cars due to their wide
ranging benefits to the public. Australia needs to adopt the measures already developed and in use by
other countries to encourage greater uptake of EVs.
As CNG, LNG and LPG are fossil fuels, their development should not be pursued for reasons previously
stated on climate and public safety. Similarly, nuclear energy is no longer considered safe to develop in
Australia following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan where Australian uranium continues to
contaminate the environment. Scientists warn in the 2014 Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate that
it is also not a low emissions alternative as claimed, and the Fukushima Province itself is moving to
renewable energy.
In Australia we are highly vulnerable to the impending Carbon Bubble, and as such the market will
experience extreme disruption, stranded assetts and the resultant economic fallout. As such it's
imperative that Australia is developing a regulatory framework and energy policies which anticipate and
prepare for the inevitable bursting of the carbon bubble.
General Comments
Any further comments?
FUNDAMENTAL FLAWS IN THE GOVERNMENT'S ENERGY ISSUES PAPER:
o
THERE IS NO MENTION OF BIGGEST ‘EMERGING CHALLENGE’: MANMADE CLIMATE
CHANGE, AND AS SUCH THE DISCUSSION AND RESULTING POLICIES RISK BEING IRRESPONSIBLE
AND DANGEROUS.
It does not address:
the urgent need for climate change adaptation measures throughout Australia;
the urgent requirement for Australia to take drastic mitigation measures while this is still
possible to significantly reduce carbon emissions and thereby dangerous extreme weather events;
the dwindling global carbon budget due to CO2 contamination from fossil fuels;
the rapidly altering global trade and investment conditions as other countries and economies
reduce their emissions and transition to low carbon; and
the looming carbon bubble as investors increasingly divest from climate-polluting fossil fuels
thereby creating stranded assets.
o
THE PAPER IS BASED ON THE INACCURATE ASSUMPTIONS THAT ALL FOSSIL FUEL
RESERVES SHOULD BE FAST-TRACKED INTO PRODUCTION, THAT ALL STATE/FEDERAL BARRIERS
MUST BE REMOVED TO ALLOW FOR IMMEDIATE AND SHORT TERM EXTRACTION OF FOSSIL FUELS.
It fails to account for:
the disastrous impacts which continued production, use and export of fossil fuels will have on
Australia’s and indeed the global climate and economies due to increased carbon emission pollution
and resulting extreme weather events (based on scientific evidence);
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the safety and wellbeing of the Australian public, which must be the Government’s priority.
Fossil fuel exploration, production, use and export is now considered against the public interest, based
on scientific evidence of its effect to cause climate change; and
further points as listed above.
o
THE HIGHLY INACCURATE ASSUMPTION THAT AUSTRALIA’S ENERGY MIX MUST REMAIN
HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON POLLUTING FOSSIL FUELS
See all points above.
o
THE HIGHLY INACCURATE ASSUMPTION MADE ABOUT RENEWABLES AS ONLY SUITABLE
FOR LIMITED APPLICATION
It only considers renewables in the context of enabling Australia to continue producing and
using fossil fuels. However, renewables need to replace fossil fuels as they become redundant,
stranded assets within years due to the looming carbon bubble and dwindling carbon budget.
Renewables are the only safe and plentiful energy source available now that climate science
renders fossil fuel pollutants far too dangerous to continue using.
It wrongly aims to restrict the growth of renewables by stating that the uptake of such should
avoid market distortion or not cause increased energy prices (even though the RET is actually helping
to reduce wholesale electricity prices.)
Various analysis has demonstrated that it is possible to transistion to low carbon and zero
emission energy production on a very short timescale (one that is required if we are to protect
Australians from the extremely dangerous impacts of climate change). For example, 100% renewable
energy plans are currently being rolled out for every state in the US (link to New York State plan in
Useful References). The assumption that renewables are a supplementary energy source, rather than
the dominant energy source is based on old technology and does not take into consideration what the
science is telling us. Increasingly we are seeing that transtioning to renewables is cost-effective, better
for public health and provides greater energy stability and security of supply.
o
THIS PAPER FAILS TO MENTION OR ACCOUNT FOR THE SERIOUS HIGH CONTAMINATION
AND PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS POSED BY THE EXTRACTION AND USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY &
UNCONVENTIONAL GAS
It fails to:
acknowledge incidences and evidence of ongoing environmental and public health risks
associated with production and use of these alternative fuels;
acknowledge the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan with Australian uranium still
contaminating the environment there;
acknowledge the widespread contamination and health impacts from fracking here in Australia
and throughout the world, or disclose the 300 plus catalogued toxic chemicals used in the process; and
safeguard the Australian public and the environment Australian citizens depend on.
THE ENERGY PAPER MUST BE REWRITTEN TO PRIORITISE URGENT CLIMATE MITIGATION AND
ADAPTATION IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC AND ECONOMY FROM DANGEROUS
CLIMATE CHANGE
Accelerating global warming, as confirmed by eminent international scientists, UN bodies and extensive
IPCC scientific reports, will severely impact Australia's states and territories, the nation’s major cities,
and their infrastructure and economies.
Australia is already counting the cost of initial impacts with increased frequency and intensity of
heatwaves and bushfires melting vital infrastructure such as powerliness, road and airport tarmac, rail
lines, and closing down electricity grids as temperature records are regularly broken this summer
across southern Australia.
Internationally, the effects of global warming have already started to impact trade, transport and bite
economically – such as during current record flooding in Asia, UK and Europe, and in the US with its
ongoing series of polar vortex deep freezes.
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Such events are predicted to become more frequent an intense with climate change, along with
northern summer heatwaves, the deepening US west coast mega drought, and stronger, more
destructive hurricanes and typhoons.
Other countries are increasingly taking measures to put a price on carbon and to increase their use of
renewables and move their economies away from fossil fuels to low carbon: the EU has undertaken a
40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 on 1990 levels, a 27% RET and 25% energy efficiency
target, South Korea 30% on 2000 levels and Scotland 100% renewable by 2020.
China is introducing province-based reductions schemes and investing heavily in solar, wind and
electric cars, the US and its individual states are also acting on climate, and India has just announced it
will build the largest solar farm in the world. Denmark became the first country to run 55% of its
electricty from wind for a whole month, in December.
Here in Australia, a new ARENA-funded solar thermal study using industry data has shown 24hrs a day
cost-effective integration with the National Electricity Market, and an Australian solar consortium is
building a 50mw installation in Indonesia.
Australia’s Energy Paper must therefore be more forward-looking rather than trying to prop up
traditional but no longer sustainable or socially, ethically or environmentally viable fossil fuel
industries. It must address both adaptation – as the effects of global warming are increasingly already
being experienced - and mitigation standpoints in order to avoid catastrophic impacts.
This is underscored by the fact that Australia’s overall emissions have been found to have only reduced
by just over 0.3% over the past 12 months (September quarter National Greenhouse Gas Inventory).
This is despite current working legislation, the Clean Energy Package, effectively reducing emissions
from electricity by 7.6 per cent since it was introduced – the equivalent of about 14.8 million tonnes.
The Clean Energy Council reports that the RET is having a moderating, rather than inflationary, impact
on electricity prices by bringing down the cost of wholesale energy. Its analysis has found that the RET
was responsible for reducing 22.5m tonnes of carbon dioxide between 2001 and 2012, as well as driving
$18.5bn in investment into renewable energy, such as solar and wind.
Review of the RET is now impeding investment, confidence and growth in our future energy sector, and
so the review must be discontinued and renewables given the status and Government support so
urgently required.
USEFUL REFERENCES
350 Australia Submission (no.33) to Senate Inquiry on the Abbott Government’s ‘Direct Action’ Plan and
the Abbott Government’s failure to systemically address climate change:
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications
/Direct_Action_Plan/Submissions (Contains substantial references to new scientific research urging
action on the climate crisis.)
Submissions to Senate Inquiry re ‘Direct Action’ Plan/Government’s failure to address climate change
by The Climate Institute (no.2), Clean Energy Council (no.16), Sustainable Energy Now (no.34), Climate
Change Authority (no.51), Clean Energy Finance Corporation (no.75), Australian Solar Thermal Energy
Association (no.76), Sustainable Energy Association (no.90):
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications
/Direct_Action_Plan/Submissions
Unsubsidised renewable energy now cheaper than fossil fuels, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, 2013:
http://about.bnef.com/press-releases/renewable-energy-now-cheaper-than-new-fossil-fuels-in-australia/
Examining the feasibility of converting New York State’s all-purpose energy infrastructure to one using
wind, water, and sunlight
Mark Z. Jacobsona, Robert W. Howarth, Mark A. Delucchi, Stan R. Scobie, Jannette M. Barthe, Michael
J. Dvoraka, Megan Klevzea, Hind Katkhudaa, Brian Mirandaa, Navid A. Chowdhurya, Rick Jones, Larsen
Planoa, Anthony R. Ingraffea. (Atmosphere/Energy Program, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Stanford University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University,
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Institute of Transportation Studies, U.C, PSE Healthy Energy, NY, Pepacton Institute LLC, School of
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University)
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/NewYorkWWSEnPolicy.pdf
Solar thermal now a cost-effective alternative finds ARENA-funded study, Business Spectactor, 2014:
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2014/2/6/solar-energy/solar-thermal-cost-effectivealternative
CSIRO supports Australia’s transition to a prosperous, secure and lower emissions energy future:
https://blogs.csiro.au/climate-response/stories/what-will-australias-energy-future-look-like/
India to build world’s largest solar plant (4000mw), Nature, 2014: www.nature.com/news/india-to-buildworld-s-largest-solar-plant-1.14647
Big fall in electricity sector emissions since carbon tax, Peter Hannam, Sydney Morning Herald,
February, 2014 http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/big-fall-in-electricity-sectoremissions-since-carbon-tax-20140205-320a6.html
Coalition’s direct action climate plan 'could undermine global efforts' - Australia's 5% emissions
reduction target 'too low and inflexible' to contribute to 2015 climate talks in Paris, The Guardian,
February 2014: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/05/coalitions-direct-action-climateplan-has-major-structural-problems?CMP=twt_gu
Denmark first to produce 55% of electricity via wind for one month, Climate Spectator, 2014:
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2014/2/5/wind-power/danish-turbines-produce-goodsmonth?utm_source=exact
Is climate change the biggest long term management problem facing business? Forbes, 2014:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2014/02/04/is-climate-change-the-biggest-long-termmanagement-problem-facingbusiness/?utm_content=buffer24a85&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=b
uffer
Nuclear power not the low emissions solution claimed, Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate & The
Conversation, 2014: http://theconversation.com/sure-lets-debate-nuclear-power-just-dont-call-it-lowemission-21566
Australian solar group develops Indonesian project, 2013: http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-ourworld/australian-solar-group-develops-indonesian-project/
Input Fields for Energy White Paper – Issues Paper submission template
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