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Hung out to Dry: Federal Government guts renewable energy research
APEC promise to boost research hollow
September 06, 2007
Greenpeace Energy campaigner Mark Wakeham said today:
“The Asia Pacific Network is the only tangible climate announcement to come out of APEC so far. However Australia's track record in funding research and development does not instil confidence that this research network will be anything other than business as usual.”
“Over the past decade the Federal government has systematically withdrawn funds from renewable energy research and development, and poured these funds into fossil fuel research and development. The report finds that fossil fuels receive at least 10 times as much research and development funding as renewable energy, despite the fact that it is fossil fuels, particularly coal and oil that are fuelling climate change.
“Australia has pioneered the way with renewable energy research, but we are losing our scientists, engineers, inventors and industries to other countries that are getting serious about supporting renewable energy. Institutions that have led the way on renewable energy research, like the University of New South Wales, and the Australian National University, are struggling to maintain research programs in solar energy. This is despite the fact that the global solar market is growing at 55% per year.
“At least three Cooperative Research Centres with a primary focus on fossil fuels have been funded in recent years by the Federal Government. Meanwhile the only renewable energy Cooperative Research Centre had its funding cut in 2004.”
“No doubt we'll hear the Prime Minister talking up APNet and the Federal government's clean energy research and development programs. However the reality is that the government's research and development budget is being used to prop up polluting industries that are causing climate change, while the true clean energy solutions to climate change are being neglected. APEC nations should be very wary about promises that are made under APNet given the Australian governments track record on research funding.”
Notes to the editor:
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/australia/resources/reports/climate-change/leaked-apec-leaders-declarati.pdf
Renewables Global Status report 2006, Available at http://www.ren21.net/pdf/RE_GSR_2006_Update.pdf
This figure is for grid-connected PV.
Download a copy of the report here: http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/resources/reports/climate-change/hung-out-to-dry-federal-negle
“The Asia Pacific Network is the only tangible climate announcement to come out of APEC so far. However Australia's track record in funding research and development does not instil confidence that this research network will be anything other than business as usual.”
“Over the past decade the Federal government has systematically withdrawn funds from renewable energy research and development, and poured these funds into fossil fuel research and development. The report finds that fossil fuels receive at least 10 times as much research and development funding as renewable energy, despite the fact that it is fossil fuels, particularly coal and oil that are fuelling climate change.
“Australia has pioneered the way with renewable energy research, but we are losing our scientists, engineers, inventors and industries to other countries that are getting serious about supporting renewable energy. Institutions that have led the way on renewable energy research, like the University of New South Wales, and the Australian National University, are struggling to maintain research programs in solar energy. This is despite the fact that the global solar market is growing at 55% per year.
“At least three Cooperative Research Centres with a primary focus on fossil fuels have been funded in recent years by the Federal Government. Meanwhile the only renewable energy Cooperative Research Centre had its funding cut in 2004.”
“No doubt we'll hear the Prime Minister talking up APNet and the Federal government's clean energy research and development programs. However the reality is that the government's research and development budget is being used to prop up polluting industries that are causing climate change, while the true clean energy solutions to climate change are being neglected. APEC nations should be very wary about promises that are made under APNet given the Australian governments track record on research funding.”
Notes to the editor:
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/australia/resources/reports/climate-change/leaked-apec-leaders-declarati.pdf
Renewables Global Status report 2006, Available at http://www.ren21.net/pdf/RE_GSR_2006_Update.pdf
This figure is for grid-connected PV.
Download a copy of the report here: http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/resources/reports/climate-change/hung-out-to-dry-federal-negle
Related Reports
- Hung out to dry: Federal neglect of renewable energy research and development in Australia
September 06, 2007
For further information or comment
Mark Wakeham Greenpeace Energy Campaigner, 0409 542 753; Ben Oquist, Essential Media Communications 0419 704 095
