Prime Minister Turnbull: It's time to build big storage
**UPDATE: Since this petition was launched, we have seen the PM announce a $2 billion pumped hydro upgrade to the Snowy Hydro Scheme, and the SA Premier announced that one of the world's biggest solar thermal with storage plants is going to be built in Port Augusta. Despite this, the PM still has no national plan to upgrade our electricity system to renewable power and storage. Community pressure is working, but we need to keep the heat on!**
Australia's electricity system is ageing, polluting, inefficient and it needs to be replaced ASAP. Renewable energy plus storage is the cheapest and cleanest way to upgrade our grid and ensure affordable, clean and reliable power for all Australians.
In fact, multi-billionaire Elon Musk is so confident that storage is the answer, he wagered he could fix South Australia's energy problems by building a battery storage plant in 100 days flat, or our money back.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are opportunities to build big storage all around Australia, including a 24-hour solar thermal power plant at Port Augusta in South Australia which the community has been demanding for five years.
The Turnbull government must start planning for the future of Australia's electricity system. Sign the petition and tell the Prime Minister it's time to upgrade our electricity system to renewable energy and storage.
Will you sign?
To the Turnbull Government,
Renewable energy with storage is the cheapest and cleanest way to upgrade Australia's ageing, inefficient and polluting electricity grid.
I call on you and your government to urgently implement a plan for affordable, reliable and clean energy for Australia by:
- Building solar thermal at Port Augusta to provide 24-hour solar power for South Australia;
- Holding national clean energy auctions to get the right storage and renewable energy projects built in the right places; and
- Turbocharging the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) so it can develop storage projects and support Australia's upgrade to 100% renewable power.
