The millions of Australians living in solar households have been acknowledged in a new infographic from the Australian Solar Council.
According to the Council, 5 million Australians live in a house that has solar panels and/or solar hot water installed.
This has resulted in many benefits, including:
– A reduction in general electricity demand
– A reduction in peak demand
– A drop in wholesale electricity prices
– A reduction in line losses
– A more robust network
– The slashing of network costs
The infographic points out by 2015/16; small scale solar power systems will save all electricity customers more than it costs in terms of the Renewable Energy Target.
The average solar power system is reducing electricity costs for its owners by more than 50% and the average solar hot water system by 21%.
Australia’s solar heroes have invested more than $8 billion of their own money, created more than 18,500 jobs, supported more than 4,500 businesses and helped take 2.8GW of coal fired power generation offline.
By 2020, currently installed solar PV and solar hot water would have avoided 93,000,000 tons of carbon emissions.
The infographic has been released as part of a campaign by the Australian Solar Council to raise awareness of the threat to the Renewable Energy Target, which is currently under review. Some of the members of the review panel have a history in the fossil fuel industry and/or are on the public record as opposing carbon reduction measures.
“The Prime Minister says he wants to slash power bills, well five million Australians could tell him the best way slash bills is to have more solar,” says the Council’s CEO John Grimes.
A recent poll found just 13% of Australians surveyed believe the nation’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) is set too high.
