A decade after it was first seriously discussed in Australian politics, and on its fourth attempt to make its way through a hostile parliament, Australian is now poised to finally implement a carbon pricing regime. by Giles Parkinson The passage of 19 bills through the House of Representative on Wednesday, propelled and finally approved by two country independents and a single Greens member, means that the passing into law of Clean Energy Future package is now a mere formality, as [...]

The Federal Government passed the carbon tax through the lower house of federal parliament, yesterday. So how will this new tax affect you? Who actually pays the carbon tax? Roughly 500 big-emitting companies in Australia will pay for each tonne of carbon they emit. The list isn’t yet fixed, but the biggest emitters include electricity wholesalers such Macquarie Generation and Delta Electricity, resources companies such as Woodside Petroleum, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, and intensive industries such as steel, aluminium, glass and [...]

SOLAR energy has a very positive rating in the public’s mind, while the nuclear industry and coal-fired power stations are at the bottom when people are asked about their perceptions of energy industries. Coal seam gas, which has become very controversial recently especially in NSW and Queensland, also rates badly. A UMR survey last month found more than eight in 10 people had a positive view of solar energy; only 10 per cent were negative. Three-quarters were positive on renewable [...]

Australia’s peak body for renewable energy has welcomed Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s renewed commitment yesterday to the national 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target (RET). Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Matthew Warren said the Howard Government introduced the original Mandatory Renewable Energy Target in 2001. “The Coalition has been a key supporter of both the expanded Renewable Energy Target in 2009 and the changes to the scheme last year. All sides of politics are committed to delivering 20 per cent [...]

Consumer and industry groups have challenged the Baillieu government’s claim that it will still take less than a decade to pay off a standard solar system through savings on power bills after changes announced this week. Since 2009 electricity companies have paid households and businesses 60¢ a kilowatt hour for electricity fed into the power grid. With the system nearly at its legislated cap, Energy Minister Michael O’Brien announced the rate would be cut to 25¢ while an inquiry was [...]