2019-04-05
State and Federal Governments must intervene to save Australia’s first baseload solar thermal power plant, following the collapse of Solar Reserve’s plans, the Greens say.
“I’ve written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and SA Premier Steven Marshall today to urgently ensure this project is saved, fixed, and funded. So South Australia gets the jobs, investment and permanent lower power bills,” Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“South Australians would be proud to be the owners of the country’s first baseload solar thermal plant. The Greens are calling for this project to go ahead with state and federal funding.
“Once again the Liberals have dropped the ball on a critical renewable energy project. The State and Federal Governments need to immediately intervene and save this project.
“A publicly-owned solar thermal plant would be a boon for jobs at a time when they are desperately needed in our state. It would also provide investment in R&D catapulting South Australia as an innovation state.
“This is exactly the type of project The Greens’ Renew Australia 2030 is designed to support. We know when energy generation is publicly owned, it drives down electricity prices.
“The Port Augusta community fought so hard for this project, but this doesn’t have to be the end of the road. This is an opportunity for our state to take ownership of our own renewable energy future.
“Barnaby Joyce is calling for a publicly-funded coal-fired power station that would lock us in as a major polluter on the world stage and cement dangerous climate change. The Greens’ alternative is a jobs-rich, nation-building solar thermal power station that will launch South Australia into a clean, renewable future.”