Page 17 - Climate Control News Magazine March 2021

In Focus
Australia still a renewable energy powerhouse
THE CLEAN ENERGY Regulator estimates that a record 7.0 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable capacity was installed last year.
This is 11 per cent higher than the previous record set in 2019 of 6.3GW. A solar installation boom drove the new record, despite COVID-19 restric- tions impacting rooftop solar installa-
tion rates for part of the year.
Already, one in four Australian
homes have solar – the highest up- take of household solar in the world.
Over the last quarter of 2020, the share of renewables in the National Electricity Market exceeded 30 per cent, another first.
“IN 2020, AUSTRALIA INVESTED $7.7 BILLION IN RENEWABLE ENERGY.”
In 2020, a record 53.6 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity was gener- ated from renewables (including roof- top solar) in the National Electricity Market. This is 16 per cent higher than the previous record set in 2019.
Minister for Emissions Reductions, Angus Taylor, said strong investment in renewables is forecast to continue.
“This is helping to reduce house- hold energy bills and reduce emis- sions,” he said.
“Australia is projected to deploy an ad- ditional 24GW of rooftop solar by 2030, tripling the nation’s small-scale solar generating capacity over the decade.”
LEFT: Minister for Emissions Reductions, Angus Taylor, said Australia has the highest uptake of solar in the world.
In 2019, Australia deployed new re- newable capacity at least 10 times fast- er per person than the global average and four times faster per person than China, Europe or the United States.
In 2020, Australia invested $7.7 bil- lion or $299 per person in renewable energy. This places us ahead of coun- tries like Canada, Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States on a per person basis.
Australia now has the highest so- lar capacity per person of any coun- try in the world (644 watts per per- son) and the highest wind and solar capacity of any country outside of Europe (804 watts per person).
As record levels of renewable energy come online, the Government contin- ues to ensure Australia’s energy sys- tem remains reliable and affordable.
Taylor said this includes prioritising work on a new fit-for-purpose market design and delivering flexible backup generation and storage needed to bal- ance and complement very high levels of intermittent renewables.
This includes delivering a 2,000 MW pumped hydro expansion to Snowy Hydro scheme and establish- ing a $1 billion Grid Reliability fund to be administered by the Clean En- ergy Finance Corporation.
FINANCE BODY TARGETS PROPERTY SECTOR
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS MARCH 2021
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will invest $75 million in sustainability measures across lifestyle and holiday properties to help lower carbon emissions and reduce electricity costs.
In a move that positions Ingenia Communities as an emerging sustainability leader in its sector, the Group has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 30 per cent in the next five years as it targets a carbon neutral operation by 2035.
CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth said the property sector presents a great opportunity to accelerate Australia’s pathway to a lower emissions economy.
“Buildings account for more than half of our national
electricity use and almost a quarter of emissions across the Australian economy,” he said.
Ingenia Communities will pilot the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Homes Standard across 30 new homes, providing healthy, resilient and energy efficient living options for senior Australians.
Ingenia Communities is investigating a range of sustainability measures including rooftop solar on existing homes and clubhouses, replacing low-efficiency lighting, hot water systems, and air conditioners with modern efficient models and exploring energy supply agreements that deliver clean energy to residents and common areas.
CEFC CEO, Ian Learmonth, said buildings account for a quarter of Australia’s emissions.
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