Greens amendments to improve the transparency of the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy were rejected today by both the government and opposition, despite troubling signs that the Centre's board may be stacked with those with little or no expertise in renewable energy.

The interim board of the Centre - which is charged with allocating funding to emerging renewable energy developments - includes only one person with expertise in renewable energy but several from the fossil fuel industry and is chaired by a nuclear expert.

"The Australian Centre for Renewable Energy is an important step, but particularly given the recent mismanagement of climate policies, I am troubled that the Senate would not accept more transparency for the board," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"I moved to ensure that any advice from the board to the Minister would be tabled in Parliament so the community and the renewable energy sector could see the extent to which the Board's advice was considered.

"Without this transparency, there is every opportunity for pork-barrelling and little opportunity for scrutiny of both the board's advice and the government's response.

"I also moved to ensure the Centre had a truly independent CEO, particularly given that the Interim Board of the Centre has been filled with individuals without direct expertise in renewable energy and from industries hostile to renewables.

"The only member of the interim board with clear expertise in renewable energy is the CSIRO's Dr John Wright, and Minister Carr could not identify any other with relevant expertise.

"The Minister justified the appointment of a chair from the nuclear sector, Graeme Hunt, because he has expertise in project management and financing. Is the Minister honestly claiming that there is nobody with that expertise from the renewables sector in Australia?

"It appears to be now standard practice for the Rudd government to appoint people with no expertise in renewable energy to advisory boards such as for the Solar Flagships program and the energy white paper process.

"The renewables sector has reason to celebrate the arrival of the Centre for Renewable Energy but should be making the case for representation on the board in the strongest possible terms."

Members of the interim board for the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy include:
• Graeme Hunt (Chair) - formerly in charge of BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam expansion;
• Prof Mary O'Kane - former Vice Chancellor of Adelaide University;
• John Ryan - awarded the public service medal for his work on the PM's Task Force into Development of Uranium Mining and Nuclear Energy in Australia;
• Emma Stein - has served on the boards of energy, oil and gas utilities;
• Dr John Wright - CSIRO Energy Transformed;
• Other members without clear relevant expertise in renewable energy development.