Will solar suffer in the Battle for Bums on Seats?
All solar fans’ eyes were turned to the budget this week as Treasurer Wayne “The Knife” Swan brought down his sixth budget (gee doesn’t time fly Swanny?). So how did solar energy (and renewables in general) fare in the Budget? Did we do OK ? Or was it a case of solar energy being once again the target as cuts are made?
The answer, if you look around the preliminary press reports is yes and no (as Sir Humphrey of Yes Minister fame would no doubt have said). While the Clean Energy Council (CEC) came charging out of the sheds with all guns blazing (to mix my metaphors a little) others felt solar and other renewable energy programs weren’t as hard hit as expected.
The CEC’s main point of course was that Government fiddling around with the funding for the supposed arm’s length Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will only create further uncertainty in the solar energy sector.
“ARENA was set up with support from all major political parties to be at arm’s length from government, to provide much-needed investment confidence in home-grown technology development right here in Australia,” said Clean Energy Council Deputy Chief Executive Kane Thornton in a May 14 press release. And you have to agree with the logic.
“Tonight, funding for ARENA to the tune of $370 million has been postponed until 2020, and the process to put that money back on the table is unclear. This doesn’t send a good message to those companies wanting to develop cutting-edge renewable energy technologies in Australia, and could see those companies take their business elsewhere.” he added.
See the full press release here.
However the other side of the renewables budgetary coin was expressed best by Greens’ leader Christine Milne who seemed to base her argument on the (generally accepted) premise that if you think this was bad, wait till you see what “Teapot” Tony Abbott, “Sloppy” Joe Hockey and their merry bunch of climate deniers have in store for us.
Fair enough or is this a bit harsh readers?
Of course that’s the real point isn’t it folks? Swanny and his mates (including the pro-solar Greens) have got about as much chance of being re-elected as I have of winning Miss World so its the policies of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition that will really impact the solar energy sector.
Here it gets grim readers. The latest is that “Sloppy” Joe only this week has refused to commit to funding the latest in renewable energy developments. This of course without without releasing any specific details. If recent conservative State governments’ “slash and burn” policies are anything to go by, the Sloppy One and the Mad Monk will wreak a series of cutbacks of biblical proportions as soon as their bums hit the Treasury benches.
Or again am I being too harsh folks? Have your say either here in the comments or over at our Facebook Page.
Onwards and upwards readers…:)
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Why resort to name calling Rich? Deliberately using the words Teapot and Sloppy for Abbot and Hocking is resorting to the tactics that Penny Wong is using calling Abbot “the Bloke” so why should we resort to calling Wong a “maybe Bloke” or “would be Bloke” and Gillard a “Sheila”.
IT DOES NOT help our argument about renewable Energy and “Climate Change” where scientists quote comparisons with planet earth 3 million years ago – Let’s get REAL – Even Abbot and Hockey would agree that Renewable Energy is where the future direction is heading – but lets put up sensible arguments and get rid of the pork barreling handouts to the industry – IT DOES NOT NEED ! Solar is coming into its own and the Power Generators and Retailers KNOW IT !
Battery technology and science has arrived at an incredible turning point – “THE STORAGE SOLUTION”
Get off your high stool Rich and allow the industry to find its course naturally and meanwhile concentrate on getting rid of the COWBOYS destroying the industry by selling cheap materials and panels that will will fail sooner rather than later – THAT will set back our industry and any level of integrity !
Wake up Rich – Only gutter journalism resorts to name calling like the left side of politics is doing and the endless SPIN that has become nauseating – The Greens have already lost any sense of credibility with the infiltration of extreme leftism or communism that has no place in our society – leave that to the North Korean leadership !
A Sensible Australian wanting balance in our debate !