Unlocking gas is not the energy answer: Greens
Greens energy spokesperson Adam Bandt today said that proposals for the Energy Ministers’ meeting tomorrow to allow more gas mining rather than favouring clean energy are reckless and dangerous. Mr Bandt said the Greens would fight tooth and nail for the future of clean energy.
Referring to the latest reports released today showing fossil fuel generators were contributing to price spikes by “gaming” the national electricity market, including most recently in South Australia, Mr Bandt said increasing gas supply while fossil fuel companies continued to control the market would not only damage the climate and rural communities, but do nothing about energy prices.
“As long as National Electricity Market rules enable dirty power companies to drive up prices, putting more gas into the market will do nothing,” Mr Bandt said.
“Mining more gas will ruin rural communities and exacerbate the climate crisis. Only reforms that enable the national grid to support more clean energy are responsible and viable.”
“The fossil fuel age is over and it is time our national energy market caught up. The Energy Ministers must enable Australia to become a renewable energy superpower instead of protecting the rent-seekers in the fossil fuel industry.”
“Minister Frydenberg risks picking the losing side in this battle for the future. The Greens will fight every new fossil fuel mine and every new gas development tooth and nail.”
Greens Senator for South Australia, Sarah Hanson-Young, also announced today that she will request the ACCC investigate reports that fossil fuel generators pushed up power prices in SA by “gouging” the national electricity market.
Media contact: Adam Pulford, 0429 109 054