Angus Taylor says taxpayer support to shift from sun and wind energy to hydrogen

Taxpayer backing for wind and solar energy is about to end, Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor says, with carbon-cutting support shifting to hydrogen and even newer technologies.

TAXPAYER backing for wind and solar energy is about to end, with the federal government to shift carbon-cutting support to hydrogen and even newer technologies.

The switch will be revealed in a speech in Sydney today by Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor, who will also deliver a slap-down to the Twitterati who he will accuse of driving “an agenda like no other in modern Australia” over climate change.

“It’s a debate that has become polarised between the keyboard warriors and the quiet Australians,” Mr Taylor is due to say.

Mr Taylor will tell a Committee for Economic Development of Australia breakfast function the government is preparing to shift support from solar and wind so as not to “crowd out” the private sector. Instead, the government will back hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, lithium and advanced livestock feed supplements.

Angus Taylor during Question Time this week. Picture: Gary Ramage

The goal will be to help the new technologies get on a path to “economic parity or better, which means the shift to lower emissions is zero cost or low cost”, Mr Taylor says in the speech. If any are not measuring up, the government will change “horses mid race”.

“We must move our investments to the next challenges,” he will say.

For every dollar the government puts in, it will expect to see four or five come from business.

The goal will be to help the new technologies get on a path to “economic parity or better, which means the shift to lower emissions is zero cost or low cost,” Mr Taylor is due to tell his audience.

If any are not measuring up, the government will change “horses mid race”.

By providing more detail about its emissions reductions plan and its focus on tech, the Coalition aims to further contrast itself from Labor, which has committed to a net zero carbon footprint by 2050 but without saying how it will achieve the target.

“If I could stand up today — announce a target and see the CO2 reduce — then I would,” Mr Taylor will say.

“But sadly a target without a plan is meaningless. It is the worst part of the emissions reduction debate.”

Mr Taylor believes the world must go through rapid technology development and adoption to ­reduce emissions on a global scale.