Australian geothermal energy will power new jobs

"Australian geothermal energy will power new jobs(Via Energy Current)Over 17,000 Australians could be employed in the geothermal energy industry
by 2050, according to a report released this week by World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) and the Australian Geothermal Energy Association (AGEA).""We have an opportunity to develop a massive, emissions-free energy source
that can power Australia's homes and businesses while growing jobs,"" said
WWF Program Leader for Sustainable Development Paul Toni. ""When it comes to
geothermal energy, we truly are the lucky country. The energy stored in hot
rocks near the Earth's surface in Australia is a thousand fold what we use
each and ever year.""""We must reshape our economy and our energy sector if we are serious about
tackling climate change"", Toni said. ""Capable of running 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, geothermal energy is one of the vital clean energy
resources needed to make this transformation.""WWF and AGEA are calling on the Australian Government to support the
renewable energy industry and help boost employment and clean power. The
government's planned Renewable Energy Target Scheme favors cheaper,
existing technologies at the expense of emerging, break through ones like
geothermal, according to the two groups.""We need the Government to truly support emerging renewable energy
technologies like geothermal, ocean, and solar thermal now, otherwise
Australia will struggle to make the changes that are needed,"" Toni said.Generating energy remains Australia's largest source of greenhouse gas
emissions. By 2050, geothermal energy could cut out approximately
one-quarter of emissions coming from electricity generation, according to
the report.Susan Jeanes, chief executive of AGEA, emphasized Australia's chance to
become a world leader in geothermal technology. ""We are developing a global
leadership position in the technical capability to exploit this resource.
The geothermal energy industry provides opportunities for workers to move
from industries like coal, oil and gas, into clean energy jobs as much of
the technology and expertise is transferable from one to the other,"" Jeanes
said.AGEA and WWD estimate that if just one percent of Australia's accessible
geothermal energy was exploited, it could provide more than 26,000 times
Australia's annual energy consumption.The geothermal industry in Australia is growing rapidly with almost 400
geothermal tenements nationwide and around $1.5 billion in work programs
underway. According to WWF and AGEA's report, the Cooper Basin, which
overlaps the borders of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia,
holds enormous potential energy.For the latest in renewable energy jobs from Australia and globally please
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