Do you know the clean energy future plan encourages innovation?

Do you know different programs affect you in different ways?

Do you care anyway?

Can you have innovation and policy outcomes in harmony?

Let us confuse you. You must decide what and when and how you will get engaged. You will be given information that says you can, should and have a duty to be involved in a program.

Why would you be confused?

1. The federal government’s carbon tax is just days away, and seminars will guide you to carbon price effects.
2. Carbon farming initiatives and the opportunities available to farmers who want to innovate in the sector through the program are subject to being on the positive list.
3. The Carbon Farming Initiative, the Biodiversity Fund and Energy Efficiency can be mutually exclusive.
4. Federal programs tend to look at the big picture, and state run programs tend to look for additional capture.
5. The clean energy future plan does not make it mandatory for any program if you are outside the policy list.
6. You are not clearly made aware of the differences of the programs. That is possible exclusion from one or all of the programs.
7. Bi-partisan political support is by degrees, not absolute.

Let CO2Land org give you a example: A recent seminar, hosted by NSW Farmers’ Association and Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority, focused on the federal government’s clean energy future plan and the carbon farming initiative. Farmers were encouraged to look at how they can reduce their carbon emissions, in a way that complements their existing business, to develop innovation strategies.

But, can farmers double dip into each program? The short answer, you should be aware, very very aware you must make choices of what you engage to do. Put this way “One farmer has implemented a scheme where effluent is collected and the methane emissions are captured then burned to generate electricity (Example from the seminar by Mr David Eyre of NSW Farmers Association)

Then the carrot “Grants are available to farmers who have an appetite for innovation and want to develop carbon schemes”. The question then becomes, on what program? How do I decide? Am I content to be just inside the tent, or am I driven to do something more aligned to sustainable and improving practices?

Then you should be aware business as usual can have penalties!