Superpower! Ross Garnaut in the Latrobe Valley

Hub host, the Gippsland Climate Change Network (GCCN) recently hosted Prof. Ross Garnaut, research fellow in economics at the University of Melbourne and Australia’s leading thinker about climate and energy policy.

In his presentation Ross introduced ideas and strategies for harnessing Australia’s renewable energy potential to become a global economic leader. Topics cover energy, transport, agriculture, the international scene and more.

Key Points:

There has been even greater support in the climate sciences and improvements in our understanding of the ethics of climate change with increasing responsibility to act.
There is a 24% decrease in solar PV prices every time the demand doubles.
There is a big role for carbon capture in both soil and vegetation as there is more carbon in the top part of the top soil than in the entire atmosphere. Therefore, rural incomes from carbon farming is potentially a huge opportunity.
Also, big biomass opportunities are present here compared to other countries, these will be very valuable in a low carbon economy.
All these changes present big opportunities for Australia, as we have the richest sources of renewable energy.
We used to have the cheapest gas, but over last decade this is no longer an advantage.
So as world moves towards zero carbon all countries will be getting power from renewable energy and Australia will be able to do it cheaper than others.
However, work to be done in defining the regions specific advantages in order to identify the best ways forward.

The evening was made possible by support from the Latrobe Valley Authority and contributions made by the Latrobe City Council and the Wellington Shire.

Darren McCubbin, the Chair of the GCCN, Dan Clancy, the Mayor of the Latrobe Valley Council, and Karren Cain CEO of the Latrobe Valley Authority welcomed and introduced the night before Ross Garnaut presented his latest book and its findings (Ross begins at the 8:20 mark).