Let’s get Victoria to 100% renewable energy by 2030 or sooner!

Coal and gas are the leading causes of the climate crisis. Victoria still gets 70% of its electricity from coal, and the Labor Government is supporting new gas drilling.

Last year, the Victorian Greens used our numbers in Parliament to launch a special inquiry into how Victoria can reach 100% clean renewable energy as quickly as possible.

We know it’s possible, but the Labor Party has only set a target of 50% renewables. This inquiry will push them to go further and faster.

Experts in renewable energy will make submissions - but we also encourage the public to make a ...

Coal and gas are the leading causes of the climate crisis. Victoria still gets 70% of its electricity from coal, and the Labor Government is supporting new gas drilling.

Last year, the Victorian Greens used our numbers in Parliament to launch a special inquiry into how Victoria can reach 100% clean renewable energy as quickly as possible.

We know it’s possible, but the Labor Party has only set a target of 50% renewables. This inquiry will push them to go further and faster.

Experts in renewable energy will make submissions - but we also encourage the public to make a submission too. You can make a quick submission using the form on this page.

Submissions close Friday 26 November.

If you’re interested in more information about this inquiry, you can find it on the Parliament of Victoria website here.

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Make a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into a 100% renewable Victoria

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Dear Committee Members,

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission to this really important inquiry into how to replace coal, oil and gas with 100% renewable energy in Victoria.

I am deeply concerned about climate change and the impacts we are already seeing as a result of increasing global temperatures. Unless we stop mining and burning coal and gas, climate change will get worse and we’ll see more floods, droughts, heatwaves and severe bushfires, putting our way of life under threat.

Over recent years, Victoria has taken some great steps in transitioning to renewable energy. It’s great to see a Victorian renewable energy target in place, large uptake of solar on homes and other buildings, and also rapid growth in battery storage. However, we need to be going a lot further and faster in replacing coal, oil and gas.

Victoria still relies on burning coal for 71% of its electricity, emissions from burning oil in transport are still growing and new gas projects are still being approved in Victoria.

It is very possible for Victorian to get 100% of our electricity from renewable sources. In fact, we can even go further than this and change our transport, industry and home cooking and heating away from petrol, diesel and gas to be powered by renewable energy.

To facilitate a rapid transition to renewable energy, here’s what is required for Victoria:

No more coal, oil or gas projects in Victoria, starting right now. The International Energy Agency’s global modelling shows this is vital for limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, which is what a developed state like Victoria must be aiming for.

Significant new Government investment to support new renewable energy and storage. Victoria currently generates around 25% of its electricity from renewables. This is good progress, but now we need to scale it up so we can replace Victoria’s three aging coal power stations as quickly as possible, and by 2030 at the latest. It is vital that coal plant closure is planned, and the support is provided to the Latrobe Valley community while they are on the front line of this energy transition.

Aim for 200-300% of current electricity generation in Victoria, but make sure it’s from renewable sources. We can replace petrol and diesel cars with electric vehicles. We can replace gas with electricity in homes and for a lot of industry. This will mean we need more electricity than we use now - but powered by renewables. It will reduce our bills and our emissions - a win:win.

A big build of energy storage and grid upgrades. To accommodate the big increase in renewable electricity that Victoria requires to replace coal, oil and gas, our energy system needs to be upgraded. We’ll need new infrastructure to move electricity around and more options for storing it in batteries and other ways, such as pumped hydro on environmentally suitable sites.

Efficient, electric homes. Victorian homes are notoriously poor when it comes to energy use and bills. One of the most important ways to tackle climate change is to first reduce the amount of energy our homes use. We can do this with insulation, weather proofing and double glazing. Then we need to replace gas with efficient electric appliances. Victoria has taken some good first steps in supporting home energy upgrades, especially in low income homes. This program now needs to be extended to reach many more homes.

Electrify transport. Transport is Victoria's second biggest and fastest growing source of emissions. The biggest contributor to these transport emissions is cars. As much as possible we need to support people to use public transport, walking and cycling. However, cars will still be important for many and we need to support the transition to electric cars. Victoria should abolish its tax on electric vehicles, at least until they are a big part of the market. We also need far greater incentives to encourage people to take up electrical vehicles. The committee should also look into the important role electric vehicles can play in an electrified Victoria. Essentially they can act like batteries and help to balance out our grid.

A green manufacturing revolution. Victoria’s transition to renewable energy represents a great opportunity to revive manufacturing. Where skyrocketing gas prices have driven businesses offshore, we can attract them back with plentiful supplies of clean, renewable electricity. We can bring manufacturing industries and jobs back to Victoria and become a manufacturing powerhouse again - this time powered by cheap, clean renewable energy!

I am genuinely excited by the opportunity a rapid renewable energy transition offers to Victoria.

Modelling undertaken by Rewiring Australia shows that electrification, renewable energy and getting off fossil fuels could save up to $5400 per home in Australia. The transition to an electric, renewable Victoria will also create tens of thousands of new jobs.

Thank you for taking the time to read my submission.

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