AN INDEPENDENT authority has been established to manage $3.2 billion of renewable energy funding.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will disperse funds as it sees fit in order to best support renewable energy research, development, commercialisation and demonstration, Australian Greens deputy leader Christine Milne said today.
“It has been obvious for years that renewable energy programs in Australia are a mess of badly designed schemes run as photo opportunities rather than helping build the industry,” Senator Milne told reporters in Canberra.
“ARENA will change all that.”
In a separate statement, Energy Minister Martin Ferguson and Climate Minister Greg Combet rejected Senator Milne’s suggestion that little had been done in the past.
“The government has a strong record of delivering support to our renewable sector and ensuring that Australians get value for money on their investments,” the ministers said.
ARENA will take on responsibility for a range of renewable projects including the Australian Solar Institute and Geothermal drilling operations.
Source: Perth Now