18 February 2019
ALP large-scale renewables pledge a game-changer for NSW
The ALP is the first major party in NSW to develop a clean energy policy that is serious about meeting the climate challenge we face, according to the Nature Conservation Council.
“State Labor’s pledge to add 7GW of large-scale solar, wind and storage to the grid is a game-changer that would make NSW a leader in clean energy in Australia, slash the state’s carbon emissions by 12% and power about 3 million households,” Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said.
“This shows the ALP is serious about cutting our climate pollution. Today’s announcement complement’s the ALP’s commitment last week to put solar on 500,000 homes over the next 10 years.
“The ALP’s pledge on rooftop solar and large-scale renewables would see NSW go from laggard to leader in clean energy in Australia by increasing the mix of solar, wind and hydro up to 35% by 2023.
“This very welcome announcement and sets a standard that we call on the Coalition to match or exceed in coming weeks.”
Ms Smolski welcomes the ALP’s commitment to add 4GW of clean energy in the first term of government.
“This firm undertaking will give industry the certainty it needs to build clean energy and bring jobs to regional NSW while also cutting our climate pollution,” Ms Smolski said.
“We call on all parties to commit to binding, ambitious targets to slash our climate pollution and have NSW play its role in meeting the Paris climate commitments. Too often the parties have aspired to cut emissions but failed to do what it takes to get us there.
“The Coalition in NSW has a target to make the state carbon neutral by 2050 but over the past eight years has done little to make that happen.”
Climate action groups last month outlined what it would take to turn around the state’s terrible performance on clean energy. [1] That includes the government:
- Providing solar power to 400,000 households (including rentals) in the next term of government (by 2023) and to all homes by 2029.
- Tendering for 4000MW of large-scale clean power to be added to the grid by 2023;
- Powering all government operations with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2023; and
- Legislating for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and ensuring all government decisions consider the impact of policies on climate change.
[1] www.nature.org.au/media/368594/181220-policy-briefing-a-clean-energy-future-for-nsw.pdf
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