| Thursday, 7 Aug | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
It is time for another SLA (Sustainable Living Armidale) monthly Forum. Lauren Zell, the new North East NSW Regional Clean Energy Co-ordinator will speak about the Renewable Energy Target, the RET.
The RET was introduced under a Coalition Government in 2001 with bipartisan support. It set a target of 20% of Australia’s energy from renewable sources by 2020. The goal supports a transition to a green economy and is probably necessary if we are to meet the other bipartisan goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by just 5% by 2020.
The Government is currently considering whether to decrease or even eliminate the target. If this happens, most of the renewable energy projects in the planning stages will be dropped. This week, for example, Pacific Hydro announced the suspension of numerous projects until there is greater certainty about Government policy.
Renewable energy projects are supported financially through government issued certificates that can then be sold to energy retailers. This is a form of subsidy but one not paid for by the Government, unlike the several billion dollars a year in subsidies our governments currently give to the fossil fuel industry.
Come and hear Lauren Zell help sort out the complexity, the winners and losers, the differences between State and Federal legislation, the possible impact on jobs, on investment, and particularly on New England.
The SLA monthly forums are the first Thursday of each month. The RET Forum is Thursday 7 August at 7pm at Kent House, opposite Central Park. Following the talk and discussion, there will be a light supper. Gold coin donation appreciated.
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