10th Sep 2009, 9:46 AM – Senate Motions - Solar Flagship Program - Support program

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Christine Milne. This means that it was unsuccessful. The motion was:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that United States of America company, First Solar, has signed a memorandum of understanding to build a 2GW solar power station in China and that this single plant will be eight times larger than projects called for by the Solar Flagship Program (the program), (ii) that the program depends for success on significant levels of private sector capital, (iii) that the global financial crisis is exacerbating difficulties Australian companies are experiencing in accessing private sector capital for innovative renewable technologies, (iv) that, in Australia, Solar Systems has gone into voluntary administration because of a lack of investment capital, and (v) the lack of a comprehensive or coherent policy framework to encourage private sector investment in renewable energy; and (b) calls on the Government to underpin the success of the program by: (i) providing loan guarantees for commercial-scale demonstration projects, (ii) implementing a gross national feed-in tariff for small to utility scale renewable energy projects, and (iii) planning and funding electricity grid extensions to connect remote utility scale projects.