From this article we know that Abbott, Hockey and Xenophon hate wind energy.
“I don’t like wind,” Xenophon told a conference in Sydney last week. “And I think that’s an issue for a lot of Coalition MPS. They do not have same antipathy towards solar.”
If you can make any sense of what Jacqui Lambie was saying, the RET looks to be under threat.
"LEIGH SALES: And are you inclined to co-operate with Mr Hunt on the RET?
JACQUI LAMBIE: Look, I think, you know the RET is a massive - you know, there's a lot of paperwork in that RET. So we're sorting through that now. As we come into problems or if there's questions I asked, I have sent to his office before and I have got anticipates back from them straightaway."
Well so far none of them have said they don't like wave energy. The government and Xenophon are saying that the RET unfairly favours wind energy at the expense of other renewable energy. Xenophon and Lambie both come from states that have wave energy resources.
If the RET is wound back, wind energy will definitely suffer. The government may be able to use wave energy (and other renewables) as a lever to get the two senators to agree to support them in winding back the RET. Less going into wind energy may end up with more going into other renewables (such as geothermal, wave and solar.)
It will be interesting to see how the changing dynamics of the Senate will play out.
Just to clarify matters, I am not in favour of winding back the RET.
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