Australia has some of the best conditions for solar energy production in the entire world. Every landmass on the earth receives some level of solar radiation. Australia is in a prime position to receive more solar radiation than most other continents. In total Australia sees 58 million petajoules of solar radiation per year. This amounts to 10,000 times more than the entire country’s current energy usage. Looking at these statistics we can see that there is a huge opportunity for Australians to harness the power of sunlight and decrease the effects of climate change.
Currently, only 9% of Australia runs on solar energy (Angus Taylor MP, 2021¹) which means that, although this is one of the highest uptakes in the world, we are still doing far less for the environment than we could be. A huge percentage of Australian homes and businesses still rely on the use of fossil fuels to generate the energy they consume, with coal making up 54% of electricity supply generation. This reliance is contributing greatly to global warming and using solar energy instead would go a long way towards reducing Australia’s carbon footprint.
However, the trajectory of renewable energy does seem to be heading in a positive direction. The demand for renewable energy is increasing, with over 2 million Australian households already making the transition towards solar energy alone in 2020, with this number only looking to increase as the pros of solar energy, this being saving money in the long run and lowering of greenhouse gas emissions, look to outweigh the cons.
The Clean Energy Council expresses that one of the most simple ways to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming is to ensure that electricity used by households and businesses is sourced from clean energy. Installing solar panels is an effective and reliable way to harness energy from a renewable source, as it comes directly from the sun, something the Australian climate is known for.
Solar panels have many benefits, for both the environment and your pockets! With many rebates and government grants available during the installation process, as well as saving money on electricity bills. From installation, solar panels begin to help the environment, as the average amount of carbon that would be offset within the first year is 8,614 kilograms, which is the equivalent of planting just under 400 trees.
Capitalise on renewable energy today and give yourself peace of mind knowing that it is helping both the environment and your wallet. Contact the team at Clean NRG today!
¹Australian Energy Statistics, Minister Media Releases (Angus Taylor MP, 2021)