Environment groups and the ACT Greens have praised an ACT government plan to have the territory running mostly on solar and wind energy by 2020.
But the policy has been bitterly criticised by the Canberra Liberals, who claim ”Action Plan 2” will force household energy bills up by $500 a year.
The Greens also claim the proposal relies on a number of assumptions, including that significant numbers of Canberrans will start driving electric cars.
But Environment Minister Simon Corbell defended the plan, which sets renewable energy targets of 90 per cent for the ACT, and said yesterday that households would actually save money under the measures.
Climate group Canberra Loves 40 per cent said the policy was the result of ”strong research, economic modelling and considered planning.”
Project manager Phoebe Howe said the ambitious strategy, which includes sourcing 90 per cent of Canberra’s energy from renewable wind and solar and increasing public transport use, would make an emissions reduction target of 40 per cent by 2020 a reality.
”This plan effectively reduces the impacts of the way we live for the long term, and will wean us off almighty coal,” she said.
”The only thing standing in the way of achieving our goal is that usual scepticism.”
The Conservation Council ACT said the government’s plan was ”visionary”. Executive director Clare Henderson said the policy had the right focus by reducing emissions through energy efficiency first, followed by a rapid increase in the territory’s uptake of renewable energy.
”Energy efficiency is the short-term win-win option - once measures are adopted they reduce emissions and also save money,” she said.
Greens environment spokesman Shane Rattenbury said the plan incorporated strategies, such as more efficient hot water systems, that were pursued by the Greens but voted down in the most recent assembly term.
Mr Rattenbury said the party welcomed much of the policy, but said the government’s public transport targets were still not high enough to meet the 40 per cent emissions reduction target.
He said the document also assumed significant shifts in consumer behaviour, including the uptake of electric cars.
But the Greens MLA said he was concerned the document gave the government ”escape clauses” to opt out of some of the measures if re-elected.
”The number of caveats make me concerned about the level of commitment to following through on this plan,” he said.
The Canberra Liberals said the scheme would force Canberrans to use public transport and reduce parking.
Leader Zed Seselja said the renewable energy target would also force up household bills by $490 per year.
”How many more hugely expensive green schemes will Canberrans have to endure from ACT Labor to get Greens votes?” Mr Seselja said.
But Mr Corbell said the Liberals’ $500 claim was ”unsubstantiated” and the plan focused on the lowest cost measures first.
”Between 2013 and 2017, the term of the next Assembly, Action Plan 2 estimates net savings per household of $30,” he said.
