Australia can double solar power capacity and install two million household batteries by the end of the decade if supported by the proper policies, the Climate Council said in a new report.
The Council claims that rooftop solar will significantly reduce household and business energy bills while cutting climate pollution.
“Slightly more than half of all owner-occupied houses already have solar installed, but there’s still another 2.8 million households like them that haven’t yet taken it up,” it’s Seize the Sun report said, adding that two-thirds of new homes were being built without a solar.
It also released a survey conducted by YouGov, revealing that more than 80 percent of people who already have solar panels would recommend them to their family and friends.
Additionally, 73 percent of Australians who don’t yet have solar panels say they want to install them in the future.
The data provides a breakdown of solar panel support based on political affiliation.
Among those who already have solar, 79 percent of Coalition voters said they would recommend it to family and friends, along with 84 percent of Labor voters and 87 percent of Greens voters.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie stated that all sides of politics should support rooftop solar in the lead-up to the next federal election.
“Supercharging rooftop solar is a triple win for Aussie businesses and families. It slashes power bills, cuts climate pollution, and powers our clean energy workforce,” she said.
Around 3.6 million Australians are using solar panels, saving $3 billion (US$2 billion) in power bills annually.
Waste Disposal Problems
Meanwhile, experts are warning of a growing solar waste crisis in Australia. The International Renewable Energy Agency, the International Energy Agency, and the Australian government have all highlighted this pressing issue.Due to inadequate regulations and limited domestic recycling facilities, discarded or decommissioned solar panels are often sent to landfills.
Victoria is currently the only state in Australia that prohibits the disposal of solar panels in landfills.
A white paper released earlier this year indicates that solar panel waste could reach critical levels within two to three years, much sooner than the anticipated 2030.
Rong Deng, a renewable energy engineering researcher at the University of New South Wales, led the study.
Deng’s research suggests that if solar panel production increases five to tenfold, as expected, the global supply of silver could be depleted within just two decades.
“If this issue is already happening, we need to act now,” Deng said.
He also explained that recycling remains discouraged due to the high costs, ranging from $10 to $20 per panel. Moreover, the technology required to recover valuable materials is not yet available even for recycled panels.
