Clean energy - investment $billions

Further to the politics of being a Greenie in the last post (i.e. that it's an evil leftie plot to destroy the world) I've read today about the reality of what's happening in Australia now.

Far from green technology stifling investment and whatever else the right wing pollies claim it might do, it's having exactly the reverse effect. Even if someone didn't at all believe in climate change, I'm sure they'd agree it's much nicer to breath clean air and drink clean water. And there's no argument about what it's doing for investment. Because of Australia's 20% target of clean energy production by 2020, green power is in boom times. That means new jobs and new money from it.

AUSTRALIA's 20 per cent renewable energy target has helped spark $18.5 billion in new clean energy investment since its inception - and will drive another $8.8 billion to 2030 - an economic analysis commissioned by the industry's peak body has found. 

The modelling to be released today by the Clean Energy Council also says Australia would have failed to meet its greenhouse gas targets under the United Nations Kyoto Protocol without the target in place. 

The modelling - carried out by firm Sinclair Knight Merz - comes on the eve of a discussion paper to be released by Australia's Climate Change Authority as part of its review into the role and performance of the renewable energy target. The target mandates that 20 per cent of Australia's energy is to come from renewables by 2020. Read more 

Our last electricity bill (mind you it was for winter) was nearly $500 for the quarter. That's using mainly gas to cook (gas was another $100 as well). But well, I'm at the stage of life now where I'm fucked if I'm going to sit inside in the middle of winter freezing my ass off to save a few $ on the energy bill. Can't afford to do that as if I get sick it could turn into something very bad, who knows.

Limited as to what I can do here too as I don't own the place. If I did I'd probably use some of my redundancy money to put solar panels on the roof. They can work wonders for your bill I'm told. Not exactly sure how it works but think it's using the energy from the panels to put back into the grid, and getting credited from the electricity supplier for that. They're quite common around where I live, lots of people have them. Strangely, the world hasn't ended from all this green technology.