A prudent long-term investment, solar energy is now coming to fruition, with its benefits showing in national statistics. It is undeniably clear that solar energy is financially, economically, and environmentally worth it.
Australia, the land of sun and surf, is starting to tap into one of our most bountiful resources with solar panels undoubtedly sweeping the nation. In this article we’re addressing the questions and doubts that homeowners and businesses alike have for this highly lauded technology.
With the rising costs of wholesale electricity burning a hole into the pockets of everyday Aussies, it’s more than understandable that the allure of a cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable alternative is met with some scepticism. The Australian voice is sending out a resounding call for the prioritisation of our businesses and home-owners who bear the financial brunt of ever-rising costs associated with basic electrical needs.
Solar power is here to meet your demands.
Accountability is key and the solar panel industry is being held to high standards. The Australian government continues to reward and protect investors through cost-incentives and legislation requiring energy retailers to:
No empty promises, no regrets.
No regrets, it’s a guarantee we all hope for in large financial decisions and one safeguarded by the national standard of four separate warranties. This ensures that purchasers are safe in their investment. This safety net is created by in-depth and comprehensive coverage and the assurance that the transition to smarter energy will run as smoothly as possible.
The proof is in the pudding and the pudding right now is looking to be South Australia. With a recent audit finding a correlation between the now 50% solar state and a decrease in prices, South Australia now boasts the cheapest power in the national market.
The South Australian population reaps the benefits of what was an otherwise common-sense decision, with rebates and feed-in tariffs offering more comfort and flexibility to all those interested in leading the front on solar energy.
In a country raised by its bootstraps, we have been given more consumer-control over our financial and environmental future. With the inclusion of government-approved rebates, we’re seeing reduced costs for the average consumer (as shown in the above graphic), on a long term financial investment that boasts returns within a few years and a lifetime of anywhere between 25 – 30 years.
True to the Australian way, mateship and neighbourly values are rewarded by solar incentives, with feed-in tariffs offering rewards for the sharing of unused power. Australia is nothing but a land of boundless opportunity and choice. So there are always alternative options for the more independent energy-consumer with the use of batteries for storage of excess power.
South Australia isn’t the only place with results showing, as the aptly-named sunshine state Queensland also sees a price reduction of 278 dollars per annum. The states that lag behind are beginning to see the difference, with Western Australia feeling the strain of a 6.4 percent increase in prices as a gas-reliant state.
We are now seeing genuine cost efficiency results shown on a global scale according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) 2019 Power Generation reports. These reports project the annual system cost savings of replacing the “costliest 500 gigawatts of coal capacity with solar and wind” (IRENA: Renewables Increasingly Beat Even Cheapest Coal Competitors on Cost) at 23 billion USD (roughly 30 billion AUD) per year. The costs of running solar continue to decrease substantially, with solar power showing the greatest headway in cost reduction, as seen below.
Currently, we’re seeing the global average cost of solar heavily rivaling coal as solar energy sits at $46 AUD – $60 AUD/MWh versus coal’s global average of $96 AUD – $220 AUD/MWh).
Overall, solar panel manufacturers strive to deliver a cost-efficient and reliable alternative, and customer demands are being fulfilled. Solar energy is offering higher reliability than its coal and gas counterparts as our well-funded fossil fuel providers continue to show a decline in quality and customer-assurance. This coupled with deteriorating infrastructure notwithstanding the very heat that solar power utilises.
With the financial benefits of solar energy becoming more and more irrefutable as further research surfaces, it seems a done deal, but the benefits don’t just stop in our wallets.
The Australian soil grows golden as ever as the effects of subsequently reduced emissions reach our environment. One of Australia’s greatest draws is our natural beauty and our tourism industry continues to thrive off of our great outback and the Great Barrier Reef.
By investing in solar energy, not only are you investing in your financial future but the environmental and economical future of our well-loved country. Solar energy benefits Australians by reducing fossil fuel emissions, water run-off, deforestation, and health issues that burden communities and workers.
Solar energy also reduces water usage, a well-known conservative effort undertaken by Aussies nationwide to minimize the impact of our continent’s dry conditions on water supplies. This is due to solar energy not requiring the same water usage as fossil fuel production, which includes water usage for:
Further introduction of solar into our national framework would move in the direction of reduced air pollution, increasing the quality of living and furthering the hardworking outdoor lifestyle so many Aussies embrace.
Making the switch to solar sets a precedent for further innovation and investment in the environmental future of our country. After this, we will see the creation of further employment sectors and the conservation of our natural tourism attractions.
Many Australians now ask the question, what of the employment generated by the fossil fuel industry? Is solar energy economically viable?
As we’ve already seen, the financial returns on solar investment are significant and the reduced environmental impact will foster better conditions for our home-grown tourism and agriculture industries. But what of the workers who currently draw their finances from the fossil fuel industry?
It has already been made evident in the American ecosystem that renewable energy is here to stay, with the cost of building renewable energy proving cheaper every year and competitively so compared to its fossil fuel counterparts. We’re seeing a fast acceptance of solar which in turn is creating jobs such as solar installers and wind technicians that are now projected to grow the fastest by 2026 in America.
Here in Australia, already we begin to match American statistics with studies showing that Australian policy now determines the creation of up to “45,000 jobs by 2025 and average around 35,000 jobs each year to 2035” (Chriss Briggs, Elsa Dominish, Jay Rutovitz: 45,000 renewables jobs are Australia’s for the taking – but how many will go to coal workers?). The coal industry, by comparison, employs about 40,000 people, most of which are blue and white-collar workers with their skills transferable to the more financially sustainable industry that is the renewable energy sector. This change would bring about a greater return on government investments and a more affordable standard of living for the Australian public, whilst giving jobs back to the Australian people.
Renewable energy has recently come under fire with events in California being viewed closely on a global stage. Recent blackouts of the pro-renewable state see the public questioning the reliability of solar energy.
Instead of viewing the issues in California as a warning, we can view them as a lesson. California has responded to the aforementioned incident with stress-testing of their power systems in preparation for hot summers or cold winters. This preemptive preparation, if applied in Australia, could only see the provision of more employment opportunities for the maintenance and assessment of power generation.
“You can handle the shift to cleaner energy in a way that preserves both affordability and grid stability – but only if you have consensus about where you are going.” (Ben Potter: Lessons for Australia from California’s clean energy boss) Whilst further protocol has been put in place to maintain the stability and reliability of renewable energy providers, the ultimate issue is the lack of provision and preparation by rigid American policy.
The onus is not on the technology at this point but on government position and citizen support, a sentiment echoed by former Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) CEO Audrey Zibelman. Ms. Zibelman has expressed the importance of “a roadmap with milestones that we hold to” because without a clear plan “it just feels reactive, and that creates chaos and emotional anxiety”. (Ben Potter: Take the emotion out of energy and move on – AEMO’s Audrey Zibelman)
AEMO has sought to ease the concerns of stability and reliability with back-up power solutions being enacted in the form of “three gas-fired power stations in Adelaide’s Pelican Point, Brisbane’s Swanbank E, and Tasmania’s Tamar Valley Power Station.” (Michael Bailey: AEMO has 1800MW of extra summer back-up power). Back-up power and a variety of renewable energy sources is ultimately the solution to fluctuations in power provision. Back-up power is not unheard of as a solution with renewables on record for stepping in to prevent potential 2019 blackouts when there were unplanned outages at Victoria’s Loy Yang coal-fired power plant and Mortlake gas-fired power station. This was one of many, with a trend throughout 2019 with “more than 75 unexpected outages at coal and gas plants across the NEM”. (Clean Energy Council: CLEAN ENERGY AUSTRALIA) Despite this being the clear solution, we are seeing blatant disregard for plans proposed under the Clean Energy target, with the projected figures at 42 percent of energy being renewable to sustain reliability as opposed to the current level of about 16 percent.
We’ve already touched on the effect that solar panels could have on clearing out air pollution for Australians, but what is that pollution really doing to our health?
Transitioning to solar energy requires that we do a risk assessment on how it will affect us in comparison to the current options. Presently, coal remains “one of the most dangerous forms of energy generation from the perspective of workers” (Jeremy Moss, Alicia Coram, and Grant Blashk: SOLAR ENERGY IN AUSTRALIA: HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS AND BENEFITS), with 12 percent of coal miners developing potentially fatal diseases, these and other risks include:
These are the risks posed to our workers but it doesn’t stop at that, with studies showing that air pollution poses a risk to the general public. When combusting, coal releases dangerous toxins into the air such as arsenic, mercury, fluorine, cadmium, lead, selenium, and zinc. These pollutants then accumulate in the surrounding air and water and are linked to the aggravation of health concerns such as:
Comparatively, solar energy does not produce greenhouse gas emissions to the same level as fossil fuels and we are seeing further relevant innovation and research. The reduction and monitoring of the greenhouse gas produced in the production of PV cells and solar thermal facilities is a large focus, as well as the water usage of some select solar power systems matching or outweighing their fossil fuel counterparts. This has been projected to see a potential 90 percent reduction in water usage, With the introduction of new technologies, Australia is once again striving to innovate and adopt clever solutions to ensure positive returns.
Australia is the home of technological advancements such as WiFi, Ultrasound, and the Cochlear implant. Continuing to prove our value as a young, innovative, forward-thinking country we have begun to turn our gaze towards the growth of renewable energy.
Interesting things are happening in the solar community, as researchers around Australia continue to reduce financial and environmental costs while fine-tuning the effectiveness of solar panels.
At Western Sydney University, we’re seeing preliminary test results for the integration of solar roof tiles, opening up the potential to increase electricity generation.
We are seeing the revitalisation of businesses, with the Victorian Bannerton Solar Park repurposing land that had previously been used for almond production until deemed unsuitable. The park now sees themselves leasing this land to a solar farm, generating an additional revenue stream that sees their business financially bolstered. Bannerton Solar Park is now giving back to their community, through the potential generation of power to supply around 30,000 homes and the Melbourne Tram Network.
We are also seeing solar farms tackling the issue of energy provision for energy-intensive manufacturers such as Laverton steelworks in Victoria, which is now contracted to work with the Numurkah Solar Farm. Not only will Numurkah Solar Farm be providing energy to Laverton steelworks, but they are also projected to produce enough energy to power about 42,000 homes.
Ultimately, Australia’s future in renewables looks promising, with the financial benefits undoubtedly present, it is now up to our people and our government to make the right choices to direct our country to greater prosperity. We as a people do not need to be resigned to financial disparity, health issues, economic waste, and environmental degradation with the vast renewable options available to us.
Whilst solar energy has been viewed with scepticism, this has only caused the renewables industry to strive to meet the strict expectations of the Australian public. Held under scrutiny, solar energy has become a highly accountable, innovative, and financially prudent industry. We have asked our questions and made our demands and they are being met. Under the grinding stone that has been the Australian reception of solar energy, we are beginning to see a finely-tuned machine geared towards serving our better interests. Solar energy has proven to be statistically a more economical and financially-viable alternative, with reduced environmental impact. There is a clear future in solar energy with research funding and innovations being developed for further returns on investment. As we receive the key to controlling our financial, economical, and environmental future, the question remains in the hands of the Australian public.
But perhaps the question should be, are fossil fuels worth it?