Alternative clean energy plan: faster emission reductions, more jobs... today
24 Mar 2004
A switch to existing renewable energy technology and gas can reduce Australia's carbon dioxide pollution by half by 2040 without affecting economic growth, according to a groundbreaking study by the Clean Energy Future Group.
The Clean Energy Plan can be complemented by the coal industry's Coal 21 National Action Proposal released in Canberra today. The Clean Energy Plan outlines an economically viable transition over 36 years to more gas and renewables and does not propose early closures of coal-fired power stations.
The Clean Energy Future for Australia study, commissioned by an alliance of gas and renewable energy industry representatives and WWF-Australia, will be a crucial part of the challenge to reduce Australia's carbon dioxide emissions.
There are sufficient resources of clean energy like natural gas, solar, wind and bioenergy to make up the bulk of energy supply in 2040, the study found. All technologies required to cut carbon dioxide emissions are available today.
Only commercially available renewable energy technology and gas are included in the Clean Energy Plan; unlike the Coal 21 proposal, it can be implemented now and deliver major emission reductions from today.
Making the switch to clean energy sources would also herald unprecedented investment and jobs in regional areas.
A Clean Energy Future for Australia found renewable energy sources produced in regional areas could provide the majority of Australia's future energy needs with biomass energy supplying 26 per cent and wind energy 20 per cent by 2040.
The energy sector is by far Australia's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, with pollution levels increasing by more than 30 per cent since 1990. Today 84 per cent of Australia's electricity comes from coal-fired power stations, which emit more than 170 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
"There is no previous study which outlines a bold new energy policy to power an expanding economy and remove our dependence on coal," said WWF-Australia Climate Change campaign manager Anna Reynolds.
"It is now up to leaders and the community to push for the recommended policies urgently needed to remove market barriers, build cleaner industry and drive efficiencies," Ms Reynolds said.
"The electricity supply industry has said that more than $30 billion dollars of new investment is required in electricity infrastructure over the next ten years to meet our growing power demands.
"It is imperative that this future investment be directed into clean energy production and energy efficiency measures rather than assets that make our greenhouse gas pollution worse or into unproven carbon dioxide reduction technologies," Ms Reynolds said.
WWF-Australia press office:
Jacqueline McArthur: +61 2 8202 1242, 0408 626 780
Andy Ridley: +61 2 8202 1237, 0415 865 992
