States and territories are driving Australia’s acceleration towards a clean and reliable renewable energy grid. In fact, progress on new clean energy generation, like wind and solar, has been so rapid in recent years that it has been hard to keep up. Our report, ‘Race to the top: Australia’s clean energy momentum’, shines a light on the progress Australia’s states and territories have already made, and their plans for the road ahead. It highlights the huge and growing momentum around the country and calls out where governments still have work to do to cut climate pollution further and faster.

How does the Northern Territory stack up?

The territory is making some progress towards renewable energy adoption, including some large-scale battery storage projects and positive steps towards establishing a renewable hydrogen industry. 

However,  the Northern Territory (NT) lags well behind other states and territories on cutting climate pollution and does not seem to have a genuine plan to do so. Momentum is being undermined by highly polluting major gas projects, particularly the planned development of the Beetaloo Basin, which is projected to substantially increase emissions. Gas from the Beetaloo Basin could produce climate pollution that is more than three times Australia’s annual domestic emissions over the next two decades. 

What next for the NT?

The Northern Territory’s particular vulnerability to climate impacts, such as extreme heat and unnatural disasters, should be the catalyst for urgent action to address these risks and create a safer future for communities. The Territory Government needs to map out a real pathway to accelerate clean energy generation and stop backing new fossil fuel projects.