The Queensland government needs to lead the way with solar energy and privatisation of state-owned assets should never be on the table, an international trade union and energy advocate says.
It comes as the solar debate in Queensland was ignited following severe storms in South Australia that left the entire state without power.
Professor Sean Sweeney, who is touring the country and will speak to Electrical Trade Union (ETU) members in Brisbane on Friday, said governments could not afford to not ditch fossil fuels for renewable energy due to climate change.
The ETU has vocally opposed privatisation under both the Bligh and Newman governments.
"Stop pretending that you can incentivise renewable power to the level that's actually going to be sufficient to displace fossil fuels," he said.
"The leadership must come from the public sector.
"It is the Sunshine State, you should have more solar power under public control."
Professor Sweeney said due to energy flowing in both directions when using renewable power, grids had to be upgraded, which private companies would not want to pay for.
"The renewable energy companies - wind and solar companies - they want to sell electricity but they don't want to pay for the distribution," he said.
Professor Sweeney is the director of the International Program on Labor, Climate & Environment at the Murphy Institute, City University of New York.
He also coordinates Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED) a global network of 51 unions from 17 countries.
Professor Sweeney said privatisation rarely gave the "shot in the arm" needed to balance the books.
"Let's say, for example, you sell an electricity system that employs 50,000 workers and the company lays off 25,000," he said.
"Who's paying the employment benefits for those workers?... They're no longer spending in the local economy because they don't have any money, it puts stress on social systems and society doesn't benefit.
"I don't think we have to go very far to look for a negative example."
It comes as the solar debate in Queensland was ignited following severe storms in South Australia that left the entire state without power.
Professor Sean Sweeney, who is touring the country and will speak to Electrical Trade Union (ETU) members in Brisbane on Friday, said governments could not afford to not ditch fossil fuels for renewable energy due to climate change.
The ETU has vocally opposed privatisation under both the Bligh and Newman governments.
"Stop pretending that you can incentivise renewable power to the level that's actually going to be sufficient to displace fossil fuels," he said.
"The leadership must come from the public sector.
"It is the Sunshine State, you should have more solar power under public control."
Professor Sweeney said due to energy flowing in both directions when using renewable power, grids had to be upgraded, which private companies would not want to pay for.
"The renewable energy companies - wind and solar companies - they want to sell electricity but they don't want to pay for the distribution," he said.
Professor Sweeney is the director of the International Program on Labor, Climate & Environment at the Murphy Institute, City University of New York.
He also coordinates Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED) a global network of 51 unions from 17 countries.
Professor Sweeney said privatisation rarely gave the "shot in the arm" needed to balance the books.
"Let's say, for example, you sell an electricity system that employs 50,000 workers and the company lays off 25,000," he said.
"Who's paying the employment benefits for those workers?... They're no longer spending in the local economy because they don't have any money, it puts stress on social systems and society doesn't benefit.
"I don't think we have to go very far to look for a negative example."
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