In a recent inquiry conducted by the Parliamentary Committee, a recommendation has been given to the Victorian Government to explore the feed-in tariff options that can help the state achieve a 100% renewable target more faster and further. It also urged the Government to progress its Virtual Power Plant Pilot Program, that was formulated to accelerate the state’s transition to renewable by enabling statewide delivery.

Outcomes/ Considerations Of The Report

• Commit to a cut-off date for the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles
• Consider a ban on gas connections in new homes
• Reviewing and removing regulations that mandate gas connections in new buildings

The report also urged Victoria to go faster on its target by implementing the above considerations. It also made 32 recommendations in its final report keeping in mind that the electricity demand will likely double by 2050 with more electric vehicles on the road along with declined gas usage.

Image: ARENA

Target To Go 100% Renewable By 2050

The parliamentary committee chairperson, Sonja Terpstra, said

” Victoria already has access to sufficient energy sources to accommodate the state’s needs to go 100% renewable. With the right governance and policy structure, the government can meet the increase in energy demand for renewable energy resources in 2050. “

The creation of the VicGrid will transform the state’s energy system, energy development plan, and energy auctions with the increased production of renewable energy the state needs. With the milestone of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2050, the state has put into place a small target of 40% uptake by 2025, and 50% uptake for 2030.

Conclusion

The inquiry report suggests that Victoria has the resources, manpower, and technical knowledge to bring the target of going 100% renewable to life with a step by step transition to clean energy. The state is ambitious and ready to take action by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and coal.