While it remains to be seen whether climate policy will be a focus in Canberra following the election, the city itself is leading the way on renewable energy.

From October 1 this year Australia’s capital will get the last piece of renewable energy it requires to be “effectively” powered by 100 per cent clean energy. Once the third stage of South Australia’s Hornsdale wind farm comes online Canberra will have fulfilled the pledge it made a decade ago to reach the 100% renewable target by 2020. 

Whilst the ACT remains part of the fossil fuel-powered national electricity grid, for every bit of energy it uses from this greed it will be feeding in energy from renewable sources. This scheme in combination with the power sourced from rooftop solar and larger commercial wind and solar projects will make the ACT Australia’s first 100 per cent renewable powered jurisdiction from October.

In order to fund the city’s renewable energy scheme, Canberra residents pay around $5 a week on top of their average electricity bill. ACT Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury said residents had done their research and realised that the cost of inaction would be much higher for future generations.

"The feedback we've had from the community is that they consider it to be very affordable, and they're proud of our 100 per cent target," Mr Rattenbury told ABC News.

Last week it was also announced that Canberra would add 20 hydrogen vehicles its fleet and become the first Australian city to trial a hydrogen vehicle refuelling station. Hydrogen vehicles are expected to be the next generation of technology in zero-emission transport.

 

Positive Action

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