Renewable Energy sector welcomes RET deal

The Renewable Energy sector has welcomed the deal to lower the RET, saying it finally provides confidence to those willing to invest.

The FRV Royalla solar farm outside Canberra (AAP) Source: AAP

Earlier this week – and after 18 months of stalled negotiations –the Federal Government and Labor agreed to set the Renewable Energy Target at 33,000 gigawatt hours. It was previously set at 41,000.

“It provides a level of assurance [but] there are no guarantees in this game,” says Charlie Prell who owns a sheep farm near Crookwell.

The Federal Government has also agreed to scrap two-yearly reviews of the target which Labor argued the sector could not afford.

“It was a desperate attempt to try and not get a resolution to the RET,” Mr Prell said.

The farmer was in Canberra today promoting the benefits of wind energy at a Senate Select Committee chaired by independent Senator John Madigan.

Mr Prell says he has been trying to get a wind farm built on his property for 15-years but is caught up in bureaucratic red tape.

“It’s shovel ready. We’re ready to go. We’ve got a connection agreement, we’ve got planning approval, all we need is financial closure,” he said.

Legislation on the Renewable Energy Target is expected to pass before Parliament goes on its winter break.