A $1.4 billion boost for green technology will form part of the Federal Government's long-awaited plan to tackle climate change.
The technology package will assist small business and community organisations to buy energy-efficient projects such as hot-water systems, insulation, lighting, heating and air conditioning.
It will be announced today by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as part of the white paper outlining the Government's final plans for an emissions trading scheme.
Mr Rudd began preparing for the announcement yesterday by giving priority to wind and solar projects already in the pipeline.
The $500 million renewable energy fund, which was to have been spent over the next six years, will now be delivered over the next 18 months.
In 2008-09, $100 million will be spent on solar power and renewable energy, with $400 million to be spent over the next two years.
Mr Rudd made the announcement at a solar farm at Windorah in Queensland's far south-west.
He echoed his ''education revolution'', saying Australia now needed a ''solar revolution''.
''We need to make this solar energy revolution, this renewable energy revolution, real for households across Australia, real for communities across Australia and also real for businesses as well,'' he said.
He said the fast-tracking of the fund would also help stimulate the economy.
The Opposition said the solar measures were hamstrung by the continuation of the cap on the $8000 solar panel rebate.
''It's inexplicable that Mr Rudd has failed to remove the quite disastrous and unfair cap on the solar panel rebate,'' Opposition spokesperson Greg Hunt said yesterday.
''The single fastest way of deploying solar energy, clean energy, renewable energy, still hasn't been addressed.''
The main focus of today's white paper will be on the 2020 target, with press speculation on a range of 5 to 15 per cent, with 25 per cent a possibility.
Interest groups stated a wide range of desired targets yesterday, with the Minerals Council pushing for 5 per cent cuts, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Climate Institute urging at least 25per cent, the Australian Greens 40 per cent, and Greenpeace demanding 50 per cent within an even tighter time frame by 2015.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that between a 25 and 40 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 is necessary to contain temperature rises to below 2 per cent and stop potentially irreversible damage.
''Speeding up already announced renewable energy funding will not compensate for weak targets,'' Australian Greens Deputy Leader Senator Christine Milne said yesterday.
''The Prime Minister's spin that he is trying to 'strike a balance' between greens and business is scientifically ignorant nonsense.''
Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said a strong target would maximise the chances of other countries cooperating.
But the mining industry would prefer a low target and compensation for heavy industries, with a phasing in of permits calibrated to other countries adopting binding targets.
Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Mitch Hooke yesterday said, ''Without the capacity to adjust and without other countries bearing comparable constraints, Australian industry will suffer loss of international competitiveness.''
The Federal Opposition said that the global financial crisis made it imperative to delay the proposed 2010 start date for the ''new tax''. ''Right at this moment that would represent a new tax on Australian small businesses and Australian consumers of between eight and $14billion, depending on the price range which is set.''
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