Renewables grow as policies reach crossroads

摘要

Even after Australia had switched between five prime ministers in just five years, the absence of a central energy policy remains, subjecting consumers to the mercy of 80-90% electrical price hikes for the past decade. Clean energy advocates insist that shifting to solar and wind energy will lower power bills and reduce emissions even as pro-coal groups argue that investment in high-energy, low-emissions coal-fired power stations is the key to providing reliable and affordable power. On one side of this contentious energy policy debate, some academics point to the strong growth momentum of solar PV systems and wind farms as a sign of the shifting tides in favour of renewable energy. Australia will likely install about 10.400MW of new renewable energy in 2018 and 2019, representing 30% of the country's peak electricity demand and comprising of 7,200MW of large-scale PV systems and wind farms together with 3,200MW of small-scale rooftop PV systems, according to paper written by researchers from The Energy Change Institute of the Australian National University (ANU).