Clean Energy Council calls for WA to invest in renewable energy

The Clean Energy Council, which was in Perth yesterday to launch a new Western Australian chapter, has called for the state’s government to implement new policy measures which will attract more renewable energy projects.

Chief executive Kane Thornton claimed that Western Australia “hasn’t fully capitalised on the opportunities on offer” from its abundant renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind, biomass and waves. The council is now calling on the Western Australian Government to “cement its place as the resources capital of Australia”.

“I have written to Energy Minister Dr Mike Nahan to ask him to advocate for a bipartisan resolution to the Renewable Energy Target, which would see Western Australia attract more than $1 billion in new investment out to 2020,” Thornton said.

“The Clean Energy Council has also recommended 15 simple policy measures that would help Western Australia race to the top of the national leaderboard on renewable energy, while driving greater competition and consumer choice in the electricity sector.”

The council has also launched its new publication ‘Guide to improving electricity use in your business’, targeted at small and medium-sized businesses. Thornton said the guide aims to provide these businesses with “more information on how they can reduce their operating costs through measures like installing solar and storage, or shifting their energy use”.

The new guide is part of the council’s Future-Proofing in Australia’s Electricity Distribution Industry (FPDI) project, which aims to enhance the flexibility and resilience of Australia’s electricity distribution systems for the future. The project is supported by $878,000 funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

To download the ‘Guide to improving electricity use in your business’, click here. For more information on the Clean Energy Council’s Western Australia Directorate, contact Dermot Costello at dcostello@cleanenergycouncil.org.au.