Vestas CEO Ditlev Engel says bipartisan support for renewables needs to extend beyond next election, because lack of certainty will kill capital intensive wind industry. He notes other countries are maintaining and expanding renewable targets, and concedes storage will be the “game-changer” for the technology.
Danny Kennedy, an Australian who founded solar leasing firm Sungevity, explains his solar message for Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr explains how solar energy can help counter the ‘corruption’ of the fossil fuel industry while also helping to ‘democratise’ the energy industry – one rooftop at a time.
The outspoken US renewable energy advocate – son of the late Robert F. Kennedy – on his green summit with JFK as an eight year-old, the global energy subsidy divide, the importance of policy certainty, and the crucial link between renewable energy and democracy.
Bernie Fraser on the power of the fossil fuel lobby and it’s hold over the Coalition, threats to dismantle the CCA, his decision to leave the LRET target unchanged, but move commercial solar from an uncapped target into a capped one, and the next big task of the authority – Australia’s emission reduction target.
ARENA chairman Greg Bourne explains the rejection of Solar Dawn, why he rejects technology pie charts, why he is focused on hybrid and remote solutions, and his take on geothermal.
Why are Australian utilities dragging their heals on commissioning new wind farms? Infigen Energy CEO Miles George gives his side of the story, plus the latest on the planned 35MW solar PV farm, why wind speeds have slipped at Capital, and the ongoing fight against anti-wind campaigners.
The Infigen Energy managing director says wind farms need to be commissioned soon to ensure the Renewable Energy Target is met. He expects solar PV to play a significant role, and is excited about the opportunities of battery storage and combining this with wind and solar.
First Solar CEO James Hughes gives his take on the rooftop and utility-scale solar markets; why centralised power is here to stay, why solar will win the intermediate and peaking markets; cost productions; solar hot spots, and why grid parity does not matter.
Greens leader Christine Milne discusses the implications of the latest heat-wave, the IPCC meeting in Hobart, The Australian’s “scoop” on sea level rises, why mainstream parties will avoid climate change in the election, the Senate inquiry into extreme weather and her visit to a 24-hour solar plant.
Greg Combet talks to RenewEconomy about why the floor had to go; why carbon prices will rise; potential links with NZ and elsewhere; and Australia’s stance on the Kyoto Protocol, and a prognosis on the next climate change negotiations.
The head of AGL Energy defends purchase of Loy Yang A, dismissing talk he is stuck between a brown rock and a green place. He says he remains a strong advocate of renewables and a carbon price, and comments on his rivals’ attacks on the RET, solar, and the lure of brown coal.
ACT energy minister says the solar tariff auction could redefine the cost profile of solar in this country, and could eventually be cost free.
Australian Carbon offset firm says it’s not phased by the debate around a traded carbon price. In fact, it may be better off without it.
Companies betting on business as usual are so wrong. “I don’t think they fully understand how wrong they are.”
The new head of the Clean Energy Council will focus on energy efficiency, distributed generation and community engagement. And he talks about Australia’s place in the renewable world, bipartisan politics (or the lack of), the importance of complementary measures, the influence of large energy companies, BIPV, CCS and nuclear.
Most submissions on the CEFC call for a softly, softly approach to financing. But a leading Australian innovator says Australia’s push into clean energy risks being too timid and incremental, and we are now living in a world of exponential changes. PacHydro, meanwhile, suggests the energy market and the Energy White Paper wake up to climate change policies.
ARENA plans new mechanisms as funding cut, deferred
ARENA has suffered a 5 pct cut in funds, and had a further $370 million in funding deferred. However, the agency says the “reprofiling” may suit its investment plans, as it considers tariff support and contracts for difference to augment one off grants. And it is about to launch a new $400 million off-grid and remote renewables investment program.