Where Does Australia Stand in the Global Green Energy Transition?

Renewable energy sources seem to be the solution for a less polluted environment, but the transition from fossil fuel is not that easy to make. After all, we still have entire industries that base their energy on this type of fuel!

Still, Australia is one of the countries where you can see noticeable progress in using renewable energy sources. For instance, between 2018 and 2019, 6% of Australian energy consumption was derived from renewables such as solar, hydro, and wind. Also, the level of renewables raised to 21% in 2019 and governments are making considerable efforts to keep the trend of green energy going. 

As people and governments find new and better ways to deliver energy, our planet and current way of living may have a chance in front of climate change and other damaging processes. Australia seems to be making the right steps in the right direction, so it’s best for everyone to follow their example and focus more on making green energy an easily available source.

Here’s what the Australian governments and people are doing right: 

Easy Access to the Grid for Homeowners 

Due to its geographical position in the Southern hemisphere, many areas in Australia have an abundance of sunlight throughout the year. Therefore, solar panels are a fantastic option for people who want to go green and cut down the energy bill. But, unless you invest in a high-capacity storage system, there is no guarantee your energy source will have a constant flow (especially during the night, when there’s no sunlight).

In this case, the best way to ensure a constant flow of energy without worrying about overcharging the network or being left without enough energy to run the house is to connect to the national grid. This way, the energy surplus can be sent into the grid and users will have access whenever they need it. 

Despite recent turmoil between governments and fossil fuel energy producers, both developers and homeowners who produce green energy have been granted access to the national grid. This encourages the practice and helps keep the trend on an ascending path. 

More Room for Developers

While homes that produce their own energy are one step in the direction of green energy, it is not enough to reduce fossil fuel consumption. For this, the Victorian, NSW, and Queensland governments work hard to attract and support large developers.

A good example is the 630-acre Yatpool solar farm in North Victoria that was recently finished and now produces enough energy to power about 40,000 homes. Additionally, these governments also work at expanding the green energy program and attract other developers and investors in the hope that this move will also help economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Public Support for Green Energy

This is not specific just to Australia, but given that green energy is more common here it’s easier to see the support from public sources increase. Nowadays, both civilians and public figures push for a reduction of fossil fuels, which put large companies in a weird position.

Overall, if they want to keep their customers and avoid any backlash that may influence their market share, large corporations must find a way to increase and support the use of green energy. Of course, they should also make every effort possible to use less energy and think about climate change as a real problem.

Wrap Up

In summary, Australia is one of the leading countries when it comes to the production and use of green energy. However, this trend seems to have slowed down recently, which may also influence other governments to put the matter on hold.