Stimulus package for clean energy future

Australia could create millions of new jobs by embracing a Global Green New Deal fast-tracking, energy-efficiency and renewable energy infrastructure, according to Environment Business Australia.

The stimulus package, with investment of $3.9 billion in energy-efficiency retrofits for households, is a big step in the right direction for reductions to greenhouse emissions, to create jobs and set the tone for a clean energy future for the country, according to Environment Business Australia.

Other steps recommended by Environment Business Australia include:

• rollout of a national energy-efficiency strategy for commercial and industrial sectors;
• new standards for appliances and vehicles with a national buyback scheme;
• a gross feed-in tariff for renewable energy at household, commercial and industrial level;
• full-cost recovery pricing for electricity and water with no artificial caps on prices;
• all three levels of government committing to purchase, lease and invest in only low/zero emissions vehicles;
• public transport systems that are valued as 'efficiency centres' for cities and urban areas and not treated as inefficient profit centres;
• green cities where all buildings operate at high energy-efficiency standards.

Environment Business Australia (EBA) also said that it is important for the country's future prosperity that government plan for solar, geothermal and marine renewable energy infrastructure investment so that by 2030 Australia can be a regional hub for minerals processing and heavy manufacturing with 'mega clean energy parks' that also provide baseload energy.

EBA also recommends that Australia begin a major carbon biosequestration program using soils, crops and forests to draw down legacy carbon in the atmosphere. This would help replenish soil carbon and nutrient levels while adding value to farmers and agricultural communities.

The technology to deliver on these recommendations already exists. The catch 22 is scaling them up sufficiently to bring them down the cost curve and make them available across Australia and to developing countries.

"Green energy is at the same point as mobile phones eight years ago or personal computers 15 years ago.  Now is the time to invest in ET as well as IT and build real value back into the economy. We can be smarter and more efficient about everything we do and this will create millions of green new jobs and the new green economy," said Fiona Wain, CEO of Environment Business Australia.