Age
Wednesday 18/3/2009 Page: 7
RENEWABLE energy company Pacific Hydro has challenged claims the Government's climate change policies will cost jobs, saying it will create at least 1200 new positions at Hydro over the next five years if they are implemented.
Pacific Hydro chief executive Rob Grant told The Age any potential job losses in coal mining would be offset by the construction and operation of four windfarms once legislation for an emissions trading scheme and a 20% renewable energy target were passed. Two of the windfarms would be in Victoria, creating 600 jobs.
The promise of green jobs comes as experts and environmental groups hit out at a threat by mining giant Xstrata to fire 1000 coal miners in NSW and cancel plans to invest $7 billion in new jobs if the Government's scheme passed the Senate.
During question time in Federal Parliament yesterday, the Opposition raised concerns by Envirogen, a company that converts "fugitive emissions" from coal mines into energy, that the Government's emissions trading scheme would force it to close, risking 100 jobs.
Prince Minister Kevin Rudd responded by saying, The whole function of introducing a carbon price into the economy is to encourage the development of renewable energy industries and, in turn, to generate further employment from it." Mr Grant said he expected at least 10 windfarms to be built by all players in the wind energy sector, potentially creating 3000 on-site jobs, 1000 long-term operational jobs and an increase in manufacturing jobs in tower construction.
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