Senator Kate Lundy today visited the Australian National University to discuss how a Rudd Labor Government would invest in the renewable energy industry.
Expert renewable energy researchers took Senator Lundy on a tour of ANU’s solar thermal unit and photovoltaic laboratories to demonstrate the innovative research and technologies being used at the ANU.
Federal Labor is committed to investing in renewable energies, and has announced that a Rudd Labor Government will invest $150 million in critical clean energy technology research under a new Energy Innovation Fund.
This investment will include:
 |
$50 million for the Australian Solar Institute, a significant expansion of solar thermal research capacity, building on the existing CSIRO centre in Newcastle. |
|
$50 million for photovoltaic research and development to maintain Australia’s lead in this area. |
|
$50 million for general clean energy research and development, including energy efficiency, energy storage technologies and hydrogen transport fuels. |
Australia used to be a world leader in solar energy, but after 11 long years of neglect, some of our best minds have gone overseas, and those that have stayed in Australia have struggled to find sufficient funding.
Federal Labor is committed to the development of vibrant renewable energy sector. In addition to investment in research and development. a Rudd Labor Government will:
|
Set a 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target for Australia to reach by 2020 – which industry expects will deliver $20 billion in new investment and 50,000 jobs – many of which will be in rural and regional Australia; |
|
Establish a $500 million Renewable Energy Fund to develop, commercialise and deploy renewable energy in Australia, including $50 million to assist companies seeking to develop geothermal energy with the cost of drilling.; |
|
Invest $15 million in a Clean Energy Export Strategy to assist clean energy companies to break into clean energy growth markets in China, India, Japan and the United States; and |
|
Invest $20 million in a Clean Energy Innovation Centre – to help make clean energy small and medium sized enterprises competitive in the national and global market. |
Federal Labor believes that a strong and well-supported renewable energy sector will help reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, grow jobs and support an innovative clean energy export industry.
Contact: Rachel Allen - 6230 0411 or 0418 488 295
