Quite a bit happened this week, including TRY being interviewed when the Climate Council released their latest report on Wednesday.
The ‘Race to the Top’ report shows that cutting climate pollution is now a top priority for most Australian states and territories. In less than 6 years, Australia has doubled renewable electricity in the grid and more than 3.6 million households have rooftop solar.
There is data from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) showing that renewable energy now accounts for 40% of the electricity on average in the Australian grid! The ACT, Tasmania, and South Australia are leading the pack with 74% and over, and Victoria has 40% renewables in our electricity supply. In Yack, we’re up to 60% – not bad for a small town in the southern states, without hydro power, wind turbines or solar farms!
Half of all Queensland houses now have rooftop solar, and Victoria is leading the way in electric homes – phasing out gas in new homes from this year. The report cites examples in every state and territory, showing that the clean energy shift is well underway.
“Progress on building clean energy has been so rapid in recent years that it can be hard to keep up, but it’s all around us here and now.”
Key Finding #2, ‘Race to the TOP’ report
Yackandandah got a mention in the report for our community battery, Yack01, as an example of soaking up abundant daytime solar power and providing it to the community at night, especially to those who cannot install solar panels themselves.
With the report released, 7News sought us out for our perspective on the benefits that renewables have brought to Yack, such as cost savings and backup power implemented with a community-centred approach. You can watch the news clip here.
Since 2014, in Yackandandah we have embraced a new way of thinking about energy, valuing the opportunities that renewables can provide: a mosaic of change inspired by thinking about how to best utilise the many benefits for the community.
There are many examples of organisations or communities shifting to clean energy. Take a look at the report and be inspired by the possibilities!
