All of our state policy principles and aims should be read alongside our relevant federal policy principles and aims, as well as our state campaigns and federal campaigns.
Principles
- State and local energy strategies must be based upon the principles of ecological sustainability and social equity.
- The climate crisis requires a sustainable energy industry that generates net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The shift to renewable energy is the only viable route.
- Incentives for sustainable transformation of the energy sector need to be accompanied by disincentives for the consumption of fossil fuel.
- All buildings, vehicles, machinery and appliances need to be energy-efficient and powered by reliable renewable energy.
- All households need affordable energy to meet essential needs.
- Environmental effects and pollution costs must be factored into the price of energy, especially that derived from fossil fuels.
- Governments have a central and vital role to play in creating a net zero emission energy sector and industries, including drawdown.
- Energy is an essential utility, therefore regulation of all energy infrastructure must be transparent and government controlled.
- New utility-scale energy storage, transmission and distribution infrastructure should be publicly or community owned (while allowing for additional private investment) in order to:
- support and accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy
- ensure control of pricing and stability, and
- ensure public control of and returns from energy exported overseas.
Aims
Targets
- Binding Victorian greenhouse gas emission targets from the stationary energy sector in line with a reduction to zero or net negative greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible, and no later than 2030.
- Phasing out the Victorian use of fossil fuels using a combination of energy efficiency, energy storage, energy conservation and renewable energy.
Supply
- Rapid transition to 100% renewable energy, while ensuring a reliable and stable electricity grid through sound engineering and planning.
- Prioritise the rapid rollout of new publicly and community-owned solar, wind and other renewable generation projects across Victoria to ensure the state achieves and maintains 100% renewable electricity, with capacity to meet rising demand from electrification of transport, heating and industry.
- Boosting small scale renewable energy generation, including the introduction of a fair feed-in tariff and removing barriers to grid connection.
- Installing new or upgraded publicly owned transmission infrastructure to ensure full and proper network connections for all approved and installed renewable energy facilities, avoiding wasted generation.
- Government buildout of widespread non-proprietary electric vehicle recharging infrastructure.
- Supporting and assisting the development of markets for alternative sustainable fuels.
- Significant investment in new, publicly owned pumped hydro energy storage, big batteries and other storage technologies in suitable locations to ensure grid stability.
- Public investment in, and ownership of, a comprehensive system of storage and transmission networks – including community-owned microgrids – to achieve energy security and reliability from 100% renewable energy.
- Cease the burning of wood chips from native forests and from waste for power generation.
- Developing and implementing complementary policy measures in collaboration with other governments where possible.
Demand
- An emphasis in Victoria on demand reduction through energy conservation and efficiency measures across all sectors.
- Removing perverse incentives that encourage use of fossil fuels and growth in energy consumption achieved through reform of the national energy market and by other measures.
- Assisting industrial and commercial energy consumers to reduce consumption, and enforcing existing energy efficiency standards.
- Assistance for consumers to conserve energy and to access affordable and reliable renewable energy.
- Establish government-backed loan schemes which enable all households to access energy efficiency upgrades, solar panels and batteries, with repayment deferred until the home is sold.
- Assistance for electricity users to reduce summer peak electricity demand and support for vulnerable consumers affected by outages.
- Assisting industry to convert from all fossil fuels and their derivatives to renewable energy by, for example, retrofitting or replacing equipment.
- Implementing measures to ensure that development across Victoria is energy, water and waste efficient.
- Improving and implementing mandatory energy performance standards for buildings.
- Mandating compliance with emissions standards and the disclosure of energy performance ratings for buildings prior to construction, refurbishment, sale or lease.
- Higher energy efficiency standards for all buildings, with a particular prioritisation of public, not-for-profit and private rental housing, as well as government-owned buildings.
- Developing, funding and publicising an energy retrofit strategy for existing buildings.
- Supporting the production of biofuels by farmers for use as tractor fuels.
- Promoting the sustainable use of electric vehicles.
Transition and adaptation
- Providing structural adjustment assistance for rural and regional consumers.
- Ensuring the provision of effective fuel poverty alleviation measures.
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Programs to assist Victorian communities to transition to more diverse and sustainable sources of economic prosperity, particularly if they are affected by:
- decline in fossil fuel or other carbon-intensive sectors
- loss of major industries or employers
- broader structural changes in the economy
Ending fossil fuel subsidies
- No public funding for the existing fossil fuel industry.
- Ending support for the development of gas-from-coal and oil-from-coal, and associated carbon capture and storage technologies.
Further reading
- Climate change and energy (federal Greens policy)
Return to all state policies
Energy Policy as adopted by members on 4 October 2025