“If not us, who? If not now, when? Today is the day for Victoria to assume its rightful place in leading the nation towards a sustainable energy future.”

– The Hon. John Thwaites, second reading of the bill that created the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (2006). 

The 2014 state election draws near and the Victorian Labor party is expected to soon release its energy policy.

What is known about the Labor party’s energy policy? What does Labor’s past performance in government reveal about their energy policy agenda?

Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy:

It’s well known that the Coalition government’s anti-wind farm laws are the biggest barrier to renewable energy development in Victoria.

Friends of the Earth analysis shows they have cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars worth of investment, hundreds of jobs and enough clean electricity to power 250,000 homes. The Labor party has vowed to ‘rip up’ the Coalition government’s anti-wind farm laws.

Driving Renewable Energy Development:

When it comes to encouraging renewable energy development, Labor’s Back to Work policy commits the party to “Establish a $200 million Future Industries Fund to drive the six high-growth sectors” including “new energy technologies.” The opposition also announced a $200 million Regional Jobs Fund that will support job-creating projects, including “companies investing in renewable energy.”

But is that enough?

The need for a Victorian Renewable Energy Target:

Labor governments in the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia are setting the benchmark.

The ACT has a renewables target of 90 per cent by 2020. South Australia’s target has been lifted to 50 per cent by 2025. Victoria doesn’t have a target and is falling behind on renewable energy.

Yes 2 Renewable have called on opposition leader Daniel Andrews and Denis Napthine to make a Victorian Renewable Energy Target a central plank of a state renewable energy strategy. The policy will drive investment in shovel-ready wind farm projects and encourage utility-scale solar farms.

A state Renewable Energy Target that works alongside a national RET scheme will unleash investment and create jobs in Victoria – which is something all political parties can support.

With 71 per cent of Victorians supporting state government policies that encourage more renewable energy, a VRET .

Can Labor lead on renewables and support a Victorian Renewable Energy Target? Yes they can.

The Victorian Labor party has a legacy of supporting renewable energy in the state. A signature achievement of the Bracks Labor government was the introduction of a Victorian Renewable Energy Target in 2006.

The following excerpt is from former Victorian Minister for Environment, John Thwaites‘ second reading of the Victorian Renewable Energy Bill (Hansard) that established a Victorian Renewable Energy Target. Minister Thwaites clearly articulates the case for a VRET:

Large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be necessary by the middle of the century to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Sustainable growth in a strong local renewable energy industry will support the achievement of significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

Victoria will lead Australia in the development of a renewable energy industry with the introduction of the Victorian renewable energy target (VRET) scheme established by this bill.

This bill plays a key part in delivering the government’s commitment to increase the share of Victoria’s electricity consumption from renewable sources to
10 per cent and to facilitate 1000 megawatts in wind power generation.

The bill establishes a requirement for electricity retailers to purchase an additional 3274 gigawatt hours of renewable energy by 2016. We have chosen that year after careful consideration of its impacts on electricity prices and the need for a long-term flow of work for the renewable energy industry.

We are taking this step to fill a void left by the commonwealth’s failure to extend the mandatory renewable energy target (MRET) scheme. The Howard government has failed to do so despite the sensible recommendations of its own Tambling review.

The Victorian renewable energy target scheme is responsible and balanced. It provides the renewable energy industry with the certainty of steady but not excessive growth over a 10-year period which will limit increases in retail electricity prices and avoid creating large losses for existing generators.

In addition to the VRET scheme, we will continue to work towards our ambitious 10 per cent renewable energy target as early as 2010, through a range of complementary measures to promote renewable energy in Victoria.