State and territory governments lead the way on renewables and climate policy

Source: Climate Council

Federal climate and energy policy has made so many false starts this year that it’s out of the renewables race altogether. Instead, it’s Australia’s states and territories who are leading the way.

In brief:

• So far, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and South Australia (SA) are equal winners in 2018’s race, across a range of renewable energy measures – based on each state’s proportion of renewable energy, wind and solar capacity per capita, proportion of households with solar, and renewable energy targets and policies.
• Not counting Western Australia, all states and territories have now committed to renewable energy and/or net zero emissions targets.
• In Queensland, the aptly named ‘sunshine state’, 33% of all households have rooftop solar, closely followed by SA, at 32%.
• SA continues to have the largest amount of installed wind and solar capacity (1,831MW), closely followed by New South Wales (1,759MW) and Victoria (1,634MW). On a per capita basis, SA, the ACT and Tasmania are the leaders.
• By end 2017 Tasmania, with its ample supply of hydro, had the highest percentage of renewable energy with 87.4% (when it gets adequate rain), followed by the ACT with 46.2% and SA with 43.4%.
• The ACT is on track for 100% renewable electricity by 2020. SA is also on track for 73% renewable energy in two years.

Read more:
- States and territories lead way on renewables, climate. Renew Economy, October 16, 2018.
- Powering progress: states renewable energy race. Climate Council, 2018.