Today, the Australian government drastically scaled back its renewable energy targets for 2020, dropping them by nearly 20 percent. The new target, 33 TeraWatt-Hours, ends an extended period of uncertainty. The Abbot government had announced its intent to lower the target, but parliamentary negotiations were required to set a new one.
Australia's initial target, 41 TW-hr, had been set in 2009 with the goal of having renewables contribute 20 percent of the nation's electrical generation. But greater efficiency and reduced manufacturing has already pushed the fraction of renewables up over 13 percent. The Abbott government, which is generally hostile to climate science, didn't feel the need to overshoot its goals and so decided to cut the renewable energy target.
The article also states that the Australian Prime Minister "will appoint a 'wind farm commissioner' to field complaints about turbines, too."
Australia's geography and weather seem to make it a good candidate for national energy independence through solar and wind. Also, given China's new moves to realize its territorial ambitions (see: Spratley Islands), not relying on ships to bring you oil would seem to be a good idea.
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Friday June 26 2015, @07:16PM
The world couldn't handle the sudden release of all that hot air.