Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) CEO Ivor Frischknecht addressed the Solar 2015 Exhibition and Conference in Melbourne on 14 May 2015.
“There’s no question that the solar industry is continuing to thrive and mature here in Australia and overseas. ARENA is very pleased to be here supporting the Australian solar industry and I am delighted to be speaking here as ARENA’s CEO for a second time,” Mr Frischknecht said.
“The global move to renewables is accelerating. The world is stepping up its renewable energy efforts and building on the momentum created over the last decade.
“In the 10 years since 2004, the number of countries to set renewable energy targets has risen to 144 – that’s an increase of almost 100. The EU is on track to meet its 20 per cent renewable target in 2020 and last October, agreed on a new target to raise its renewable energy share to 27 per cent by 2030.
“In California, a US State with which we have much in common, RE is on track to achieve a 33 per cent target by 2020 and Governor Jerry Brown has pledged an ambitious target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
“China has committed to achieve 20 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, and is proceeding towards its new target at a formidable pace. That target equates to an additional 500-600 GW of capacity, which is about 12 times the size of the National Electricity Market.
“But why am I telling you facts to support a narrative that many of you already know?”
Read the full transcript.
