The NT Government can lead the way by using renewable energy for its own operations, provided by local NT solar companies.
This can include local governments, government departments, and government-owned buildings, including schools, community housing and hospitals.
Here in the Territory, the Government purchases roughly one-quarter of the Territory's total energy consumption – that's huge! It means the government is in a unique position to influence the uptake of renewable energy in the Territory, much more so than the governments of other states and territories.
The Northern Territory Government can help drive investment in renewables through a whole-of-government policy to preferentially purchase renewable energy generated electricity.
How will this create Territorian jobs and support Territorian businesses?
The Northern Territory Government should direct the government-owned Jacana Energy to procure its renewable energy locally, not interstate. Jacana Energy already has federal obligations to source large-scale Renewable Energy Target (RET) Certificates under Commonwealth Renewable Energy Target legislation.
Solar for NT Government buildings means more business for local solar companies and more solar jobs for local Territorians.
How much will this cost the Territory?
With dramatically falling prices of renewable energy, this move will save the government money, not cost the government money. And through power purchase agreements, even capital costs can be covered by solar developers.