In a submission to the Renewable Energy Target Review, the Napthine Government have asked to include gas-fired power options. Hello Victorian Government…this is the “renewable” energy target we are talking about.

”If Premier Denis Napthine has convinced himself that gas is a renewable energy source, then he is confused,” said Greens leader Greg Barber.

Labor energy spokeswoman Lily D’Ambrosio said: ”As it stands, the [target] provides investment in new industries and will create thousands of jobs for Victorians. We wholeheartedly support that – Denis Napthine should, too.”

Including any gas-fired options in the target is most definitely going to push up gas prices which are already over-priced.

There are now almost 200 submissions up for the public to view now. Unless they are marked confidential, the remaining submissions will be published by the Secretariat in the weeks to come.

It looks as if the RET review panel has some significant reading to do. However, from the beginning, many have speculated that the whole process is just for show and that the result is a “biased and predetermined outcome.” There seems to be little faith in the review panel themselves as they may have some ties to fossil fuel companies.

According to the article written yesterday, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) shows that the only benefiters of removing the RET are big fossil fuel companies. They stand to earn an extra $6-12 billion by 2020 while households pay an extra $142 on their electricity bills each year.

Time will soon tell what the review panel members decide.