Angus Taylor Is Australia’s New Energy Minister

Angus Taylor | Image via Facebook

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor is now Australia’s Energy Minister, taking over from Josh Frydenberg. So what are Mr. Taylor’s views on renewable energy? 

Solar Power

Back in 2014, Mr. Taylor saw rooftop solar as an important part of the energy mix for regional and remote Australia. He said the technology was often a better option than electricity distributors spending big bucks on replacing poles and wires in these areas.

“Increasingly we’re seeing that solar is likely to be the renewable energy to win the race,” he said. ” I am much more optimistic about the future of solar than I am about wind.”

He also wasn’t against large-scale solar in 2015. While speaking in Parliament on the issue of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2015,  he said:

” I take great comfort that retailers are starting to understand the real advantages of well-located, large-scale solar projects. They are quick to commission, better able to match supply with demand and better suited to the north of Australia, where demand growth and prices will be higher.”

Wind Power

Angus Taylor gives a strong impression he does not like wind power. Not one bit. In the past he’s expressed concerns about a wind monoculture in Australia, subsidies for the sector and has actively campaigned against wind farms.

CET And NEG

In 2017, Mr. Taylor said Australia didn’t need a Clean Energy Target (CET) because the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) will ensure reliability while lowering emissions, and without “costly subsidies”. He will now have a chance to prove it, but he’ll first need to untangle the mess the proposed NEG has become. Good luck with that.

Renewable Energy Target/s

His somewhat soft spot for solar energy aside, Mr. Taylor isn’t overly enamoured with renewable energy targets – with his main concern being the costs he believes are involved.

Climate Change

Angus Taylor says he has held deep concerns about climate change for decades, but doesn’t have much time or patience for zealots.

“Religious belief is based on faith not facts. The new climate religion, recruiting disciples every day, has little basis on fact and everything to do with blind faith,” he said in 2014.

Much of Angus Taylor’s published commentary on renewable energy was over the 2014/15 period. If a week in politics is a long time, then a few years is an eternity. At this point the newly-minted Federal Energy Minister hasn’t had anything fresh to say on renewables; but this party is just getting started.