2019-11-19
Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young today welcomed the announcement SA’s ‘big battery’ would be expanded following investment by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
Senator Hanson-Young who chaired the Senate Select Committee into the Resilience of Australia’s Electricity Infrastructure said the funding decision shows renewable energy generation does stack up and is where SA’s future lies.
“South Australia is leading the way when it comes to a clean-energy future. We’ve got the largest battery in the world with power generated by wind and solar, not dirty old coal,” she said.
“Today’s announcement only adds weight to the argument against opening up a new fossil fuel basin in the Great Australian Bight.
“SA’s future is in clean, green renewable energy, not drilling in the Bight.
Senator Hanson-Young said given the climate crisis and forecast catastrophic fire conditions in SA tomorrow, following devastating fires in NSW and Qld, the Federal Government should be following SA’s lead and transitioning all states to a renewable energy future.
“Australians are desperate for the Morrison Government to take action on climate change,” she said.
“Transitioning all communities to renewable energy is the least the PM could do before we all suffer through even more devastating extreme weather events and fires.”