AUST: Energy [R]evolutionaries scale smokestack

"If we are to avoid catastrophic climate change, we must urgently drive down our carbon emissions now," Mr Vincent said, before he began his ascent of the stack.  "This will only be achieved if renewable power such as solar and geothermal replace dirty coal-fired power plants, like this one."

Swanbank B is responsible for more than 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year - equivalent to the annual pollution of 300,000 cars. If every home in Queensland changed to solar hot water, the station could be switched off.

"Queensland has the best solar resources in the world and it is a tragedy that the Sunshine State isn't leading the way in renewable energy," Mr Vincent said. "If Prime Minister Kevin Rudd acts now, Australia could become a powerhouse for renewable energy manufacturing and technological development, creating thousands of new jobs and investment opportunities."

Australia is already falling behind many other countries in the development of renewable energy. Over the next 18 months, Spain will roll out enough solar thermal power to replace this power station four times over.

The renewables industry is ready to power Australia. Rodger Meads, managing director of renewable energy company, Conergy, said: "The suggestion that Queensland could be a renewable energy powerhouse is spot on."

"The region has world-class renewable resources - especially in solar - and the only reason you don't see companies investing heavily in the state is the lack of encouragement and the right legislative and regulatory environment from Government" Mr Meads said.

The peaceful protest comes at a critical time in Australia's fight against climate change. By the end of this year, the Federal Government will release its detailed policy response to the climate challenge. The Government's climate change advisor Professor Ross Garnaut is in Brisbane today to present his interim report which Greenpeace says places too much emphasis on unproven "clean coal" technology and failed to clearly detail how zero-emission renewable energy would be rolled out in Australia.

Greenpeace has already shown how Australia could source more than 40% of electricity from renewable energy by 2020 and phase out coal entirely by 2030 in a report released last month called Energy [R]evolution. It also found there are tens of thousands more jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, than there are in coal-fired power generation.

As part of the Energy [R]evolution tour, the Greenpeace ship, the Esperanza, will be open for free public tours in Brisbane this weekend and will  promote the benefits of renewable energy.