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
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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.
NSW turbocharges home battery savings with new incentive scheme
Today’s joint announcement by the Federal and NSW Governments to double the incentive for NSW households to install a solar battery on their homes and connect to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP), is a win for all NSW energy customers, by delivering lower energy bills – a policy the Clean Energy Council has long-advocated for and has today welcomed.
WA home battery incentives to electrify savings and protect consumers
The Cook Government’s announcement of details for the $337 million residential battery rebate scheme is a major win for WA households, helping to slash power bills and make clean energy more affordable for families across the state.
Big battery investment charges up in Q1 2025 - New Clean Energy Council report
The first quarter of 2025 was the second best on record for investment in large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Australia, with six projects worth $2.4 billion in total reaching the financial commitment stage – delivering an extra 1.5 GW in storage capacity and 5 GWh in energy output, according to new figures released by the Clean Energy Council today.
Industry, community and environment, union and science leaders unite in urgent call for EPBC reform
In an unprecedented show of unity, and in the face of the escalating impacts of climate change and rapid biodiversity loss, industry, community and environmental organisations are calling on the Albanese Government to deliver its long-awaited reforms of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
Clarity for clean energy planning unblocks project delays in Victoria
The Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s Handbook for the Development of Renewable Energy in Victoria, released today, is a landmark document that resolves years of uncertainty and provides much-needed guidance on how to assess and manage the impacts of renewable energy developments in the state.
