Adelaide Advertiser
Wednesday 22/12/2010 Page: 17
THERE were more than 100,000 solar power systems installed across Australia last year, which is more than in the previous decade combined. Industry group Clean Energy Australia said yesterday rooftop solar photovoltaic systems were becoming the "Hills Hoist" of the 21st century, driven by generous state and federal government subsidies. However, growth in industrial-scale renewable power was "modest" in the year to the end of October, because of policy uncertainty about how the industry would be subsidised.
The group's 2010 report also predicted more than 55,000 jobs would be created in the industry by 2020, up from about 8085 now. About 7817 jobs were expected to be based in SA by 2020, up from 751 now. The increased employment and projected investment of more than $20 billion is being driven by the Federal Government's target to have 20% of the nation's power supplied by renewal sources by 2020.
"Much of this growth will be in regional Australia, creating employment opportunities and an economic boost for towns and communities", the report says. "In 2009-10 alone, clean energy in Australia generated just under $1.8 billion in investment".
The proportion of Australia's electricity production generated by renewable means rose significantly to 8.67%. However, this increase was largely driven by a 15% rise in hydroelectric generation from good rainfall. Growth in industrial power generation was just 210MWs, down from 993MW the previous year. "Policy and investment uncertainty played a major role in the drop in new projects in 2010 compared with the year before", the report says.
"The success of household renewable energy such as solar power and solar hot water in 2009 led to an oversupply of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). "With a glut of RECs in the market, the price remained low. For large-scale projects this REC price is critical". South Australia accounts for 9% of the nation's installed renewable capacity at 966MW. The state renewable energy target is to have 33% of SA's power generated by renewables by 2020.
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