The Surf Coast Shire Council has urged the Andrews government to lift the level of ambition for the Victorian Renewable Energy Targets.

In its Renewable Energy Roadmap, the government committed to implement Victorian Renewable Energy Targets for 2020 and 2025–including the baseline target of at least 20 per cent renewable by 2020.

The Surf Coast Shire Council has joined Yes 2 Renewables in a call for a greater level of ambition.

“The Victorian Government’s target of 20 per cent by 2020, while positive, is below the current South Australian energy generation of 36 per cent from renewables and the ACT’s target, which aims for 90 per cent of energy generation from renewables by 2020,” said the council in an official statement.

Acting Mayor Cr Eve Fisher says there’s strong community support for renewable energy in the region.

“We represent an environmentally conscious community and with that comes the expectation that Council pushes to expand renewable energy locally,” Cr Fisher said.

“While it is really pleasing that the Victorian Government has elected to set a separate statewide target for renewable energy generation, we really believe the target should be raised so we can create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our environmental footprint.”

Yes 2 Renewables commend the leadership of the Surf Coast Shire Council. We hope the call for raising the VRET and creating jobs is noted by Andrews government, and indeed, the opposition and other Victorian Parliamentarians.

Local member for parliament for the Surf Coast Shire region, Andrew Katos (Liberals), seems to have turned over a new leaf on energy policy.

Mr Katos has recently taken an interest in community-owned renewables and has backed the community’s call to stop unconventional gas development.

Will he join the Surf Coast Shire Council and community by endorsing ambitious and achievable Victorian Renewable Energy Targets?

Strong Victorian Renewable Energy Targets will create jobs and unleash investment while helping our state tackle global warming. It’s something all political parties can support.

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