The renewable energy industry’s peak body has congratulated Clive Palmer for his strong support of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target. Clean Energy Council Deputy Chief Executive Kane Thornton said the announcement that the Palmer United Party would support the Renewable Energy Target in the Senate was “a Titanic boost for the clean energy industry”. “Clive Palmer obviously recognises the importance of renewable energy to Australia. The benefits of renewable energy were most recently demonstrated by analysts ACIL Allen earlier in the week, in modelling which put to bed several common criticisms of the policy,” Mr Thornton said.
“The ACIL Allen study shows that the Renewable Energy Target can be met and would make power prices lower for consumers over the long term. The renewable target is enabling Australians to escape from electricity generated from gas-fired power, which is projected to triple in cost over the next 10 years.
The renewable energy industry stood ready to deliver tens of billions of dollars in investment and tens of thousands of jobs under the Renewable Energy Target, much of which will flow into regional areas.