Antinuclear

Australia’s opportunity to rapidly take up Renewable Energy – Climate Commission

Climate Commission Urges Rapid Uptake Of Renewables http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3487 by Energy Matters, 26 nov 12, The Climate Commission’s ‘The Critical Decade: Generating A Renewable Australia’ was released Monday, summarising the state of renewable energy in Australia and its potential.

The Climate Commission’s 15th report, it says the Australian economy
could be powered almost entirely by renewable energy within the next
few decades, assuming appropriate policies and support are in place.

Electricity generation is still the largest source of greenhouse gas
emissions in Australia, accounting for approximately 35%.

The report states Australia has the highest average solar radiation
per square metre of any country in the world. Even areas receiving low
solar radiation
levels by Australian standards still receive more than the world’s
solar powerhouse, Germany.

“With Australia’s world class solar resources, we have a unique
opportunity. However, at present solar makes up less than 1% of
Australia’s total electricity generation,” states the report.

“As the technology is further developed and costs continue to
decrease, there is potential and need for solar generation in
Australia to grow rapidly.”

The report notes in parts of Australia where electricity prices are
high, rooftop solar PV may already be the cheapest form of power for
retail users.

Information from national solar provider Energy Matters indicates that
in most parts of Australia, this is already the case. A 3kW solar
panel system the company is currently showcasing works out to generate
electricity at a cost of under 6c per kilowatt hour including the
price of the system and installation.

The Climate Commission’s report states in order to give the world a
fighting chance at reining in temperature rises to just 2C – still an
amount that would see many negative impacts – global emissions will
need to be “very near zero by 2050, only 38 years away.”

“The challenge in front of us now is to turn the enormous potential of
renewable energy into implementation at a large scale, as rapidly as
we can,” concludes the report. “This is the critical decade to get on
with the job.”

November 27, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News