Brumby Labor carbon fails carbon test

Peter Batchelor's announcement that the new brown coal-fired power station will proceed in the Latrobe Valley (Age 2/7) fails the simple critical test of "will this reduce our carbon emissions".

It will belch millions of tonnes more carbon dioxide into our increasingly hotter and drier world.

We need to be decommissioning coal-fired power stations and making major investments in proven zero emission renewable energy.

Link: Latrobe valley's new $750 million clean coal power station a step closer

Feed in tariff needed to boost solar power

Our solar photovoltaic array at the rear. The solar hot water system is in front.

Here is a copy of a letter I have just sent to Peter Batchelor, the Victorian Minister for energy and resources, about the importance of introducing a feed in tariff for solar power in Victoria.

Feed in tariff legislation is in the process of being enacted in South Australia and Queensland. We need this in Victoria too..

If you have time, it would be worth sending in a letter of your own to your state politicians too.

TO: The Honourable Peter Batchelor

Minister for Energy and Resources
Level 20, 1 Spring St
MELBOURNE 3000
Via email peter.batchelor@parliament.vic.gov.au

CC: Hon. John Brumby
Premier of Victoria
C/o Department of Premier and Cabinet
1 Treasury Place
MELBOURNE VIC 3002
Via email john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au

CC: Robert Clark, Shadow Minister for Energy & Resources
Via email robert.clark@parliament.vic.gov.au

March 19, 2008

Feed-in Tariffs for renewable energy generation

Dear Mr Batchelor,

We have been operating a grid interactive solar photo voltaic array on our house in Surrey Hills since 2002, over which time we have saved approximately 15 tonnes of CO2 emissions. You can view details of the house and the solar system here.

We welcome the commitment of the Victorian state government to introduce a fair price for solar electricity generated on rooftops and fed into the electricity grid. We believe that a move toward renewable energy is an essential means of addressing climate change, and solar photovoltaic (PV) micro-generation has an important role to play in boosting Victoria’s renewable energy share.

By offering a premium price for electricity generated on rooftops and fed directly into the grid, feed-in tariffs recognise the wealth of benefits which arise from the adoption of this technology. These include:

• environmental benefits from reduced emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants
• network benefits from reduced transmission losses and generation closer to the source of consumption;
• supply benefits from producing clean power for the grid during peak load times on very hot days
  
• economic benefits through lowering of peak wholesale electricity prices
• social benefits via diversified electricity generation and job creation.

However, for a feed-in tariff to create the level of take-up required to achieve these benefits, it is essential that it is paid at an adequate rate, for a long enough time, and on the total production of the solar system. I call on the government to mandate a feed-in tariff at:

• 60 cents per kWh;
• for at least 15 years; and
• paid on the entire output of a system via gross production metering

A feed-in tariff set at this level will provide the necessary incentive for individuals to invest their personal finances into solar PV systems, safe in the knowledge that the price paid for electricity generated will adequately pay back this investment over the next 15 years.

Feed-in tariffs have been remarkably successful in over 40 countries internationally, and an adequate feed-in tariff in Victoria has the potential to build an industry in sustainable solutions to climate change, provide an alternative to polluting brown coal, and position the state as a leader in renewable energy in Australia.

Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing Victoria. I trust that you as the responsible minister (and the Premier and my local elected representative) take this issue seriously and ensure that this policy measure delivers a major expansion of renewable energy leading to real reductions in greenhouse gas pollution.

Can you please advise us whether you support introduction of a feed in tariff, and if so, when it will be introduced?

Yours sincerely

Peter Campbell and Dr Lena Sanci


Additional information

• Feed-in tariff for solar systems Alternative Technology Association, with Take action details for each Australian State
  
• Feed in tariff, Greenlivingpedia

Use renewable energy, not more coal

Rather that planning to build new coal fired power stations which will further exacerbate global warming, the Bracks Government should address all the factors contributing to the increased use of peak electricity. Poor house design and siting with respect to the sun means that many new homes get too hot, and cheap electricity means that people buy energy-guzzling air conditioners to cool them.

The Government should amend the building code so that sensible energy efficient house designs are used. Our solar efficient house has no air conditioner.

Government subsidies for coal-fired power should also be removed and a carbon tax levied so that the consumers pay the real cost for electricity generated from burning fossil fuel.

Twenty panels on our house generates two thirds of the total electricity we consume, and we put green power back into the grid at peak times when it is needed. We don't need new power stations in Victoria, either coal fired or nuclear. We need sensibile energy policy based on truly renewable energy, and we need the political will to implement it.

Related article: Government wants air conditioners turned off