The only thing stopping renewable energy in Australia is policy  

The Australian reports that the Renewables energy industry backs Labor's target of 20% by 2020 for renewable energy.

THE renewable energy industry has predicted it can meet Labor's ambitious 20 per cent target by 2020, rebutting claims by conventional power generation companies that the target may be unachievable. The prediction came as conventional power generators disputed claims by Labor's environment spokesman, Peter Garrett, that he had consulted widely with industry before announcing the ambitious target. "There has been significant consultation with both (Labor energy spokesman) Chris Evans and myself," Mr Garrett said yesterday. "The views of industry have been listened to very, very intensely." ...

Mr Garrett said Labor decided to announce a target now and not wait until Ross Garnaut finished his economic analysis of emission trading and targets next year because the renewable energy industry was ready to move. "Why wait when we have a climate crisis on our hands?" Mr Garrett said. "Why wait when we have $20billion worth of investment just waiting to emerge?"

John Howard yesterday refused to confirm or deny the report in The Australian that former environment minister Ian Campbell wrote to him two years ago seeking an expansion of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Scheme. n his letter, then senator Campbell said the reluctance to lift targets risked undermining efforts to combat climate change and might force investors offshore. "I'm not going into discussions that may or may not have occurred," the Prime Minister told ABC radio yesterday. ...

Pacific Hydro spokesman Andrew Richards said the renewable industry was ready to spend the estimated $12billion needed to deliver Labor's renewable target. He said that although wind energy alone could meet the target, it was likely to be augmented with a range of other renewable technologies, including geothermal and biomass. "The only thing stopping 10,000 megawatts of wind energy in Australia is policy," he said.