Australia is expected to reach 20GW+ of solar PV in the next two decades and uptake of battery storage is forecast to triple this year compared to last.
According to the Climate Council’s just-published ‘State of Solar 2016’ report, the collective capacity of solar panels installed in Australia by 2037 will be equivalent to approximately a third of the nation’s current total power generation capacity.
The report states Australians are adding more solar PV annually than the combined capacity of South Australia’s recently shuttered Northern and Playford coal-fired power stations. This is being spurred on in part by Australia enjoying some of the cheapest solar power system prices in the world – significantly less expensive than countries such as the USA and Japan.
The first solar energy revolution in Australia was focused on PV systems – the new revolution is solar + storage.
By 2035, around 1.1 million homes will have battery systems connected to their solar arrays states the report, and businesses will be increasingly adding energy storage also.
However, rapid solar plus residential and commercial energy storage uptake will require complementary technologies and effective management to adapt to the changing nature of Australia’s electricity network.
“It’s only a matter of time before our energy system transitions to smart, sustainable and secure 21st Century technology,” said Climate Council’s Andrew Stock.
“The transition is underway because it makes economic sense. Australia can use our greatest natural asset, sunshine, create non-polluting power, new jobs and new industries, as well as, bringing investment from the global solar boom.”
In terms of large scale solar, actual costs for new projects are cheaper than for new coal and nuclear projects. 20 utility-scale PV facilities are set to proceed across Australia this year and there’s another 3,700 megawatts of large-scale capacity in the pipeline.
“The era of coal is over and global investment has moved firmly to renewable energy. Solar power is cheaper, has no fuel costs, is non-polluting and it is clear that it will be a key of Australia’s future,” said Mr. Stock
Climate Council’s ‘State of Solar 2016’ can be viewed in full here (PDF).
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