CLIMATE AND ENERGY MOU WITH CLINTON FOUNDATION TO CREATE GREEN OPPORTUNITIES
Further opportunities for large-scale clean energy projects and new vehicle technologies including hybrid buses and energy efficient street lighting will be investigated under a landmark agreement being signed today between the Brumby Government and the US-based William J. Clinton Foundation.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Further opportunities for large-scale clean energy projects and new vehicle technologies including hybrid buses and energy efficient street lighting will be investigated under a landmark agreement being signed today between the Brumby Government and the US-based William J. Clinton Foundation.
Premier John Brumby said the Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) between Victoria and the Foundation’s Clinton Climate Initiative ( CCI ) would create opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency across the State.
“Victoria and CCI are jointly committed to fighting climate change at a local, state and global level,” Mr Brumby said.
“Victoria has already set a goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, based on 2000 levels, and this new partnership will build on the policies and initiatives that we have in place to reach that goal.
“Victoria is committed to investigating the development of clean energy opportunities based on solar, biomass, geothermal and other clean energy options.
“CCI will actively assist in this important task, providing support and facilitation services focused on delivering Victorian priorities.
“CCI will assist Victoria in facilitating large-scale projects that demonstrate the potential of carbon capture and storage ( CCS ), and the creation of a CCS hub centred in the Latrobe Valley will be investigated.”
Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor said an Energy Efficient Building Retrofit Program would also be investigated with the CCI.
“Victoria will now work with CCI to build key partnerships with the private sector to accelerate the retrofit of State Government buildings with energy saving technologies, hastening their delivery and potentially reducing the costs,” Mr Batchelor said.
Other projects under the MoU that the Brumby Government and CCI would consider included:
· Investigating the potential to access that benefits of the Clinton Foundation’s Purchasing Consortium to deliver low-cost clean technology including hybrid buses; · Investigating new financing models to accelerate the transition to low energy lighting across the Victoria’s 460,000 street lights, complementing the work already being undertaken in this area; and · Work with CCI to procure Alternate Waste Treatment technologies in Victoria to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by landfill waste.
“These are significant, practical and measurable initiatives that will enable Victoria to get on with the job of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change,” Mr Brumby said.
Mr Brumby said Victoria was the first state to introduce a mandatory renewable energy target and the State Government had invested more than $180 million in research and development of renewable and near-zero emissions technologies, including carbon capture and storage.
“This Government is working hard to reduce the human impact on climate change and working with willing partners like CCI will enable us to build a more certain and prosperous future for Victoria into the future.”
The Clinton Climate Initiative was launched by the former US President, Bill Clinton, in 2006 and has access to $US5 billion in finance from partner global institutions.
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