Australia’s Clean Energy Race: States Outrun the Feds

16.10.18 By
This content is more than 5 years old

IT’S A PHOTO finish. For the first time, Australia’s annual renewable energy race has ended in a three-way tie for the top spot, with Tasmania, the ACT and South Australia all sharing first prize.

Lagging at the back of the pack are Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the perpetual cellar dweller, NSW.

The findings are detailed in a new report launched today by the Climate Council.

Powering Progress: States Renewable Energy Race rates states and territories based on their performance across a range of metrics. These include each state’s percentage of renewable electricity, the proportion of households with solar and policies that support renewable energy.

“The Federal government has failed on energy and climate change policy. In five years there have been no effective policies introduced and Australia’s pollution has risen year on year.

States, territory governments and businesses have stepped into the vacuum and are leading Australia’s transition to clean power”, said Climate Councillor and former president of BP Australasia, Greg Bourne.

Key report findings include:

“Australia desperately needs an electricity system fit for this century, not last, to ensure our power supply is clean, affordable and reliable. We must drastically cut electricity emissions to tackle intensifying climate change. Renewable power plus storage is the answer and states and territories are taking the lead,” said Climate Councillor and energy veteran, Professor Andrew Stock.

“Australia is one of the most vulnerable developed countries to the impacts of climate change, but the Federal government is contributing little to the solutions,” said Professor Stock.

“If other countries adopted climate policies similar to Australia’s, then global average temperatures could reach over 3°C and up to 4°C above levels prior to mass industrialisation. That would put billions of lives in danger,” he said.

The Climate Council would like to congratulate Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT for winning this year’s race.


For more information please contact Senior Communications Advisor Lisa Upton on 0438 972 260 or Research and Communications Officer, Brianna Hudson on 0416 449 119.

The Climate Council is Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.

For further information, go to: climatecouncil.org.au

Or follow us on social media: facebook.com/climatecouncil and twitter.com/climatecouncil