Thousands of jobs at stake if RET is scrapped

Axing the Renewable Energy Target (RET) could result in the loss of 2000 jobs, plus thousands more not created, according to analysis commissioned by the REC Agents Association (RAA), an industry body for companies trading in renewable energy certificates.

“If the Renewable Energy Target is axed, 2000 jobs could be lost straight away and thousands of new jobs would not be created,” said Fiona O’Hehir, vice-president of RAA and CEO of Greenbank Environmental, who commissioned the analysis.

“Axing the RET is on the government’s agenda and they need to understand this would have a diabolical impact on jobs, industry and the hundreds of thousands of Australians who want to put solar on their homes.”

“Last year, the solar industry employed some 17,000 Australians, across 4300 small and medium-sized businesses. Solar workers can be found right across the country, from the outer suburbs of our big cities to rural and regional communities,” added Ric Brazzale, president of RAA and CEO of Green Energy Trading.

The full report can be found at www.recagents.org.au.