Emissions reductions delivered by renewable energy
Read our report on emissions reductions in Australia as a direct result of the uptake and acceleration of clean energy
Share this report
19 Nov 2024
Since 2015, 40 GW of new rooftop solar and large-scale renewable energy capacity has been deployed across Australia, with the share of renewables in the energy system climbing from 16 per cent to just shy of 40 per cent in 2023.
This investment has resulted in emissions being 30 per cent lower today than they would have otherwise been without the renewable energy investment since 2015. In aggregate, this has resulted in over 200 million tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions since 2015, relative to if Australia had continued to rely on the 2015 power plant fleet.
The growth in renewable generation since 2015 is estimated to have avoided 55 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in the 2023 calendar year, relative to a situation in which we had continued to rely on the generation fleet in place back in 2015. This is equal to a 30 per cent reduction in electricity emissions
This will deliver 75 million tonnes of emission reductions in that year relative to if we had
kept the 2015 mix of generation plant in place. This is a 39 per cent reduction on electricity emissions. That is equivalent to reducing the emissions from all of Australia’s cars, light commercial vehicles, and aeroplanes to zero.
That's if growth continues at the pace required to meet the Federal Government's target of 82% renewable energy by 2030.
Analysis of Frontier Economics' report on the economics of nuclear power in the NEM
Our review shows that the modelling is based on a number of flaws and unrealistic assumptions. Of concern, the modelling forms the basis of the Coalition’s nuclear plan, which indicates substantial slow-down in renewable energy deployment.
Coalition nuclear plan a disaster for power bills, rooftop solar and renewable energy investment
The Coalition’s nuclear plan released today is a disaster for Australian households and their power bills, prioritising high-cost and inflexible nuclear power along with a dramatic slowdown in the installation of renewable energy including rooftop solar, according to the Clean Energy Council.
Latest CSIRO report clears the air: Renewables are lowest cost
The Clean Energy Council welcomes the release of the latest GenCost report by the CSIRO, which reaffirms the fact that renewables firmed by storage and transmission remain the lowest cost pathway to replace our aging coal generators.
As coal exits the energy system over coming years, investment in a suite of renewable energy technologies such as offshore wind, will be critical to deliver the lowest-cost energy system for consumers. Offshore wind also provides a substantial opportunity to create new jobs and economic opportunities for regional communities such as the Hunter over coming decades.
Kane Thornton, Chief Executive - opening remarks to House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy
Opening remarks by Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, to the House Select Committee on Nuclear Energy, in Melbourne (4 December 2024).
