Industry calls for "cautious" RET review

The federal government should “move cautiously and consult widely” in its review of the Renewable Energy Target (RET), Master Electricians Australia (MEA) says. The industry body claims sudden changes are bad for businesses and unfair to consumers.

While the industry acknowledges that current policy settings must be reviewed, sudden changes at both the state and federal level have caused significant damage to businesses that had supported government clean energy programs, MEA CEO Malcolm Richards said.

“Master Electricians has said for some time that the combination of federal and state incentives for solar power were not sustainable in the long term, and we welcome the decision of the Abbott government to review the existing arrangements,” Richards said.

“We agree that Australians deserve clarity around the true costs of these programs, and how those are likely to escalate over the long term.

“However, the government needs to remember that there are thousands of businesses - many of them mum and dad operations - that have geared up to provide services to support the existing arrangements. They have been knocked around by previous sudden changes to policies, and they need to be remembered as these issues are considered.”

Richards said the government needs to outline a long-term strategy that recognised the true cost and true value of solar power - based on how much power was generated at various times of the day. He also said the long-term settings need to recognise the emerging role of energy storage, which was likely to be the area of greatest advancement in the renewable energy space in coming years.

“These new technologies can be supported through non-financial incentives, including more flexible and realistic electricity tariffs. However, the most important issue remains the need for industry consultation. All changes should be introduced slowly, and with fair warning for both consumers and businesses.”