Media release – Supporting Our Loongana Valley Environment, 21 December 2020
Community Group SOLVE respond to State Government TREAP
The state government’s Renewable Energy Action Plan (TREAP) is a crushing disappointment to our community. Instead of policy that might benefit Tasmanians, the Plan is a marketing document for the finance and investment sector.
Genuine economic modelling and climate science are absent, and absurdities like ‘biomass energy’ – the clear-felling and burning of our forests and waste – is claimed to be green when it actually releases extraordinary amounts of CO2 and other pollutants.
The Marinus Project is another part of this policy failure, and will merely enable companies to send power offshore to ‘the Market’. The ‘green hydrogen’ energy plan is more of the same – sending hydrogen offshore as another Tasmanian raw resource. Worse, it will also be used to extend the life of the fossil fuel gas industry here by utilising gas pipelines, adding a mere 10% hydrogen to gas which should stay buried.
Electrification of cars and transport is given vague targets that don’t include agricultural or commercial vehicles. Security of power supply omits to mention much of our privatised renewables industry is already Chinese-owned or controlled.
The TREAP is an outline for a business model that serves corporate investors. The plan pays lip service to community consultation, and offers little for local jobs and business growth beyond the construction phase. As with Marinus Project and TasNetworks proposed new electricity grids, there’s nothing in this ‘plan’ for Tasmanian workers, business or communities.
We deserve better, and call on Tasmanian leadership to stop Marinus, end rampant corporate welfare, and begin coordinated multi-sector planning that addresses climate and serves Tasmanian interests, not those of wealthy local donors, the finance sector and offshore investors.
