Smart Grid Australia welcomes the launch of the Coalition's 'Direct Action Plan on Climate Change' which has the objective to reduce CO₂ emissions by 5% by 2020 based on 1990 levels.

The policy also announced plans to establish an Emissions Reduction Fund open to the best carbon reducing plans.  Smart Grid Australia is delighted that the Coalition sees investment in new technologies as an opportunity to reduce CO₂ emissions, as there are a number of examples of smart grid investments that will reduce CO₂ emissions.

Smart Grid Australia has maintained that increasing the proportion of renewable energy generation in the energy grid is important for reducing CO₂ emissions.  The announcement by the Coalition of the additional 1 million solar roof program and the solar schools and cities proposal supports this view.  As the proportion of renewable energy generation increases, smart grids will be necessary to manage and coordinate the use of this energy across the grid.