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RAPID RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION GOOD FOR ECONOMY AND JOBS - 4 September 2008
A rapid transition to 80% renewable electricity by 2050 will maintain Australia’s economic competence while revamping its industrial base and maintaining strong growth in green collar jobs.
This was the key message from Dr Barney Foran who last night presented the first of a monthly public lecture series, entitled ‘Australia’s Renewable Energy Future,’ organised by the Australian Academy of Science.
Dr Foran, a Visiting Fellow of the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the ANU, said that by 2050 wind energy, biomass, solar baseload and solar photovoltaics can each contribute 20% of electricity production, with the remaining 20% generated by gas turbines, advanced coal and existing hydroelectric stations.
He said ‘A renewable electricity transition alone will shave ten billion tonnes off the likely 29 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide that a business-as-usual Australia will emit by 2050.’
He also said the supporting evidence for radical change is mounting, quoting a WWF report showing that low carbon technologies need to be rolled out in parallel, at growth rates of 20% per year.
‘This allows key technologies to cover each other should one fail. A sequential, lowest cost first approach will not allow scale, competence and innovation to occur. Sequencing will ensure that “too little too late” will be the legacy baby boomers bequeath to their grandchildren.’
Foran said that the Government’s Green Paper on Carbon Pollution Reduction had initiated public discussion but acknowledged that the transition debate still has a long way to go, nationally and globally. However he said ‘setting carbon goals and their technology underpinnings that are too timid will ensure that Australia will be out of the hunt for gold medals for environmental and economic management by 2050. The present record for action and quality of debate means we’ll be flat out reaching the B final.’
Dr Sue Meek, the Academy’s Chief Executive said of the lecture series ‘We have invited a range of speakers from many areas of the renewable energy sector to present their views on the application of these important emerging technologies.
‘The intention is to inform public debate by going beyond simply explaining how the technologies work to provide a realistic assessment of their ability to supply Australia's energy needs into the future.’
Audio and transcripts: www.science.org.au/events/publiclectures/re
