SIMON Corbell is celebrating a report showing an increase in renewable energy use and a decline in ACT greenhouse gas emissions.

“This report confirms Canberra is on the right track to cut emissions and reach its 90% renewable energy target by 2020,” Simon said.

The ACT Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report for 2011-12, which will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly today, shows a decrease in the total greenhouse gas emissions of 2.4% from their respective 2010-11 total emissions.

Renewable energy also increased from 14.2% of all electricity consumed in the ACT in 2010-11 to 16.9% in 2011-12.

“I am very pleased with these results, particularly as they predate the ACT Government’s Energy Efficiency Improvement Scheme and large-scale renewable, which will lead to significant greenhouse gas emission reductions for the territory.

Major contributors to the increase in renewable energy use in the ACT were the Australian Government’s renewable energy target component, which steadily increased from 3.4% in 2008-09 to 7.3% in 2011-12. The ACT’s GreenPower sales were 131 GWh in 2011-12, which represented 4.5% of electricity consumption (up 4% from 2010–11).

“This highlights the importance of the Commonwealth’s RET scheme as a critical part of reducing cities’ emissions,” Mr Corbell said.