Image: Ricinator
Among its policy priority recommendations ahead of Queensland’s election, the Clean Energy Council has suggested a small battery grants scheme and other actions to support energy storage be implemented in the state.
The CEC says the state is ideally positioned to play a leading role in the Australia’s battery energy storage industry and can capitalise on its opportunities.
It suggests such a scheme could initially target low-income households and small to medium-sized businesses in rural and regional Queensland.
Additional energy storage related initiatives recommended include grants and tax exemptions for energy storage start-ups with the potential to generate jobs, and dollar-for-dollar funding for small and medium-sized Queensland businesses to train and employ apprentices in the design and installation of solar and energy storage systems.
Other policy priorities recommended by the CEC relate to supporting energy independence in fringe-of-grid areas and strengthening Queensland’s links to the National Electricity Market (NEM).
“The policy priorities outline key areas impacting the Queensland energy sector, building on the great work that has already taken place in the state,” stated Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton.
The CEC’s “New Energy Opportunities For Queensland” document can be downloaded here (PDF).
In related news, Solar Citizens released its Queensland Election Solar Scorecard on Tuesday, which puts the Greens in front in terms of renewables policies.
The Greens have committed to a number of energy storage actions, including subsidising installations for social housing, low income households and the not-for-profit sector, plus the transferral of subsidies from fossil fuels to fund research on renewables, energy efficiency and storage.
The Greens are followed by Labor, which recently released its Powering Queensland’s Future policy document.
On Monday, the CEC said the Queensland Government’s election pledges will build on its already strong record of supporting clean energy jobs and investment in the state.
The Council also welcomed the LNP’s renewables commitments, but stated its plan for a new coal-fired power station “simply doesn’t make sense”.
“Renewable energy is now the cheapest and cleanest option for new energy generation and, when combined with energy storage, it can do everything fossil fuels can – except much more flexibly and without the pollution,” said Mr. Thornton.
Queenslanders go to the polls on Saturday, November 25. Voting has changed to a full preferential system this time around, meaning voters have to number every box on the ballot paper.
About Michael Bloch
RSS - Posts
“Among its policy priority recommendations ahead of Queensland’s election, the Clean Energy Council has suggested a small battery grants scheme and other actions to support energy storage be implemented in the state.”
Hopefully, if we end up with a double dissolution federal election, due to the circus that is the feral parliament, the CEC can make a similar suggestion to the federal parliamentary political parties, with proposed grants (and/or, interest-free loans to householders) to be distributed to the states/territories, on the basis of the population of each.
And, of course, to have a published response of each parliamentary political party and candidate, to such a proposal.