Australia would not be able to reach its target of zero-net emissions by 2050 without more work, despite the country having one of the largest take-up rates of solar and wind energy, according to a new report.
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A new policy brief by Canberra climate experts has said the 2050 target would not be able to be achieved at the current rate that emissions were declining.
The prediction comes even after Australia achieved a record of 7 gigawatts of new renewable energy being installed in 2020 alone, according to the federal government's Clean Energy Regulator.
The new wind and solar energy added last year was deployed four times faster than in Europe, China or the US.
One of the policy brief's co-authors, Australian National University engineering professor Andrew Blakers, said Australia had the potential to double its renewables output.
"Australia is building solar and wind-powered facilities faster per capita than any other country," Professor Blakers said.
"Prices are also going down and if we double the output again, we can have zero fossil fuel energy and an 80 per cent cut in emissions.
"It's not very difficult to do, given that we were putting in only 1 gigawatt per year in 2015 and now we got to 7 in 2020 and we should aim for 14 gigawatts in a few years time."
Professor Blakers said the flood of new renewable energy coming into the market had led to costs being dramatically cut.
"The country has got pretty good solar and wind facilities by world standards," he said.
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
