While Australia has just been found to be the worst performing industrial country in terms of climate change in 2014, and that should in no way be downplayed, Australian supporters of renewable energy still have cause for some pride and even optimism. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has reported that according to its latest numbers, 19% of households in Australia now have rooftop solar systems installed.
In addition, Australia has now exceeded 4 gigawatts in solar PV capacity, according to the Australian Photovoltaic Institute. The APVI has said that rooftop solar capacity has risen four-fold since 2011. Indeed, the percentage of households with solar is up to 19% from 5% back in 2011.
From the overall 19% of households with solar, 5% of those households have solar hot water systems, and the rest have solar panel systems. Out of all the Australian states, South Australia has the highest percentage with 24% of households with solar. Sunny Queensland is second with 20%, then Western Australia with 16%, Victoria with 11%, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and South Wales with 10% each, Tasmania with 7%, and finally the Northern Territory (NT) with just 6%.
Despite the current federal government’s distinct lack of support for the country’s Renewable Energy Target, the Australian population overwhelmingly supports it. Indeed, more than 15,000 households in Australia have been taking up solar each month, according to data from the Green Energy Trading and network operators.
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