A recent survey across regional Australia showed two thirds of people living in the Bush want governments to "act quickly to build renewable energy technology". It's no wonder they're so supportive of renewables. Energy poverty and energy insecurity are pressing issues for remote and regional Australians. Tens of thousands of households in the Bush are effectively off the grid and rely on expensive diesel and petrol to generate electricity. This imposes significant financial burdens as well as exposing them to supply vulnerabilities and environmental risks. Renewables offer an opportunity for regional and remote Australians to secure affordable and reliable energy. And there are many other co-benefits. Sheep, for example, love hanging out and grazing under solar panels which give farmers extra income that insulates their bank accounts during droughts. Scientific studies show sheep productivity increases when they are grazed with solar.
Without renewable energy, regional and remote communities unconnected to the grid are forced to use diesel to generate their power. This can cost up to $1 per kWh. That's at least four and up to ten times the cost of accessing electricity in major cities. Energy poverty caused by expensive diesel-generated power is also exacerbated by extreme temperatures and frequent disconnections. In WA, for example, 1,300 remote-living Indigenous households use prepaid meters which frequently experience disconnection events. In places where temperatures are often over 40°C, this is really dangerous for health and safety.
Several communities and projects across Australia are already demonstrating the benefits of investing in renewable energy - in particular in reducing social, health and economic impacts associated with energy poverty. Yackandandah in Victoria has set an ambitious goal to be powered entirely by renewable energy, installing solar panels on homes, businesses, and public buildings, to reduce reliance on the grid and lower energy costs. Collie in WA is building Australia's largest battery storage project which will create local jobs, stabilise the grid, support more rooftop solar, and replace retiring coal-fired power stations. And in Esperance in WA, a Renewable Energy Hub powered by wind and solar farms has reduced dependance on trucked-in gas and diesel and thus lowered energy costs.
Of course, transitioning to renewables is not without its challenges, especially in remote and regional areas and smaller communities that are off the grid and geographically isolated. Initial installation costs can be high, and there are logistical and technical hurdles. Securing upfront funding is essentail. So is genuine community engagement so that local residents' specific needs and concerns are met. Community ownership and involvement clearly enhances the benefits.
For Australians in the Bush, renewable energy is about so much more than climate action. It is a transformative opportunity to tackle energy poverty and insecurity. By reducing reliance on costly and polluting fossil fuels, renewable energy can provide stable, affordable, and sustainable energy. Renewables enhance energy security, create local jobs and additional 'off-farm' income sources, and foster economic and climate resilience. With the right support and community engagement, renewable energy can help level the playing field between cities and the Bush. It can bring us together for a more equitable and sustainable future.
Gregory, have you looked into how rural Australians with solar panels for energy collection are handling energy storage, for when the sun is not shining? I'm afraid this is the major weak link in enabling the transition to renewable energy.
this research into vertically mounted, free-swinging dual sided PV panels in ag systems might interest you, Gregory. the authors have published several papers on this topic. https://www.academia.edu/106963637/Vertical_free_swinging_photovoltaic_racking_energy_modelling_A_novel_approach_to_agrivoltaics?email_work_card=title if this link isn't free access for me I can link to it elsewhere. it's worth cosideration that livestock production and ruminant livestock especially is a major source of methane, and in order to stay below 2.0 or even 2.5 ºC methane emissions must be curtailed urgently, since methane's climate impact is both much more immediate than CO2 and more potent, 100x by wieght than CO2 using a decade long time horozin. Once it was thought by climate scientists we had more than a century to ramp GHG emissions down to zero. Now we know that…
There are lots of fantastic reasons to support solar and wind power. New developments though, MUST be subject to rigorous environmental assessment to ensure the natural environment is not compromised in the process. There is NO more room for natural areas to be destroyed as we develop the future. ALL renewable industries MUST be located on degraded or cleared land and past the test of environmental management credibility.