The Climate Council welcomed the recently announced $2.25 billion state and federal governments’ agreement.
The commitment aims to commence construction on thousands of kilometres of new energy transmission lines.
In a statement, Climate Council reported that the Victorian and Australian governments had inked a landmark agreement to finance essential enabling infrastructure for a significant expansion of renewable energy ahead of next week’s federal budget.
Climate Council CEO Amanda Mckenzie said this type of proactive, coordinated action at all levels of government is exactly what is needed to develop a clean grid as soon as possible, and Australians will benefit from more of it.
“This new infrastructure will help rid our electricity network of coal by unlocking new renewable energy projects. That’s not just a win for our climate, it’s also a win for regional communities who have worked to power our nation for generations,” Mckenzie stated.
According to Mckenzie, Australia is well on its path to becoming self-sufficient in renewable energy; the only question is how quickly Australia can get there. Mckenzie highlighted the need for Australia to build transmission lines 24 times the length of what we have presently by 2030. Mckenzie stated that genuine community consultation and good government collaboration are critical to this.
“This announcement is the kind of rapid, practical action we need now to unlock Australia’s clean energy future. It stands in stark contrast with news that the federal government is also forging ahead with $1.5 billion in Morrison-era funding the Middle Arm Petrochemicals Hub in Darwin Harbour,” she said.
Mckenzie added that to safeguard communities from ever-worsening climate impacts, countries cannot authorise new gas and coal projects, according to global scientific consensus. Mckenzie stated it’s the reason why Australia needs clean energy collaboration like the one announced today, as well as an end to public subsidies that support polluting fossil fuels.
