As speculation mounts over the RET Review, Australia's Solar Industry is looking down the barrel of a gun. The adverse impacts on the residential solar PV industry will likely be short-term due to the low cost of PV panels these days providing good economic return on investment, even without the rebate. The real hit will be felt by the commercial PV with this industry likely to be halted in it's tracks with combined job losses in the solar industry estimated at around 8,000.
However, the solar industry is not the only casualty of these likely changes to the RET. The Governments attempts to protect the fossil fuel energy industry and prevent or at least delay the transition to renewable options presents serious long term health implications for our society that seem to get swept under the rug when considering costs. Tim Flannery and Fiona Stanley have compiled some research on this fact and have summarised it in an article "We must kill dirty coal before it kills us" published on the day of the show.
On this weeks show we spoke to Daniel Ball who is a Solar Energy & Photovoltaics Engineer with EnviroShop. Daniel is very much working smack bang in the middle of the solar industry likely to face a huge shake up if the recommendations from the RET review are seen through and was all too happy to discuss the ins and outs with us. Check out what Daniel had to say by listening to the podcast.If you want to know more about what all the fuss is about see the RET Review Executive Summary and the list of recommendations.
For some extra reading on the topics of this week, I would suggest heading to some of the below links...
Read about the disproportionate influence of the fossil fuel industry and climate sceptics on governments in Australia
See the experts respond to the recommendations from review of the RET.
Music tracks for this week:
Nakamarra by Hiatus Kaiyote
Our guest Daniel's selections...
We're not gonna take it by Tswisted Sister
Blue Sky Mine by Midnight Oil
Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows
Tune in next week for a discussion on Fossil Fuel Divestment. Can't wait!!
The disproportionate influence of the fossil fuel industry on government will not disappear overnight but every small step and victory will help erode the influence... I've started a Change.org petition to lobby for one of those small steps to become law in Victoria(it is already law in South Australia and Tasmania). Clean Up Australia have just informed me they will be helping promote this petition and I'm now contacted all other related groups I can think of... Perhaps your show can help spread the word... Here's the link... https://www.change.org/p/hon-ryan-smith-ban-plastic-shopping-bags-in-all-retail-outlets-in-victoria
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