Business pushes election demand for boost in clean energy target

The Morrison government has been urged to meet the nation’s entire domestic electricity demand with renewable energy by 2030.

The Clean Energy Council has called for a renewables led power grid, helping Australia cut emissions faster, ahead of a federal election.

The Morrison government has been urged to meet the nation’s entire domestic electricity demand with renewable energy by 2030, greatly boosting the country’s short-term emissions reduction goals to help meet a mid-century net-zero target.

Ahead of an expected federal poll in May, the Clean Energy Council has issued a nine-point plan aimed at ensuring the federal government raises both its renew­ables and climate policies to put it in line with state governments.

Scott Morrison in October committed the country to net-zero emissions by 2050 but has so far refused to budge on lifting the 2030 goal for a 26-28 per cent reduction on 2005 levels, although government forecasts show it ­expects to reach a 35 per cent cut by that time.

Labor has opted for a 43 per cent cut by the end of this decade but big business wants steeper cuts to help drive investment, according to the renewable industry body. “Voters will back policy that promotes emissions reduction and, critically, the Australian business community supports an ­acceleration of Australia‘s decarbonisation efforts,” Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said. “The signals from the private sector indicate the federal government’s latest policy statements on net-zero emissions are not enough. They are looking at short-term 2030 targets to drive immediate investment.”

The group’s blueprint calls for a surge in investment as coal-fired power exits the power grid faster than expected this decade, with financiers looking for greater clarity on how to prioritise spending to aid the energy transition.

“An electricity grid powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 will deliver emissions reductions based on 2005 levels of 44.5 per cent – and it comes with the upsides of jobs, investment and growth,” Mr Thornton said.

“This is just below the global average of 45 per cent – it’s not an ambitious or difficult target, it’s the low-hanging fruit.”

Its plan for an all renew­ables grid faces big hurdles. Renewables now account for 28 per cent of our electricity and a move to electrify the country solely through clean energy requires a 20-fold increase in solar and wind production, the Clean Energy Council says.