The Climate Council has launched a new plan to seize the sun and capitalise on Australia’s rooftop solar strengths, double our solar power capacity and install two million household batteries by the end of the decade. Supercharging rooftop solar will slash household and business energy bills, cut climate pollution further and faster, and keep building our clean energy workforce.
| The report comes as a YouGov poll for the Climate Council shows: – More than 80% of people who already have solar would recommend it to their families and friends, underlining the real benefits millions of Aussie households are already experiencing. – Rooftop solar is popular across the board, with 73% of Australians who don’t yet have it saying they want to get it in the future. – An overwhelming majority of almost three-quarters of Australians support the federal government going big on policies to drive a new wave of solar and storage installations now. |
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “Australians love the bill-busting benefits of rooftop solar and strongly support government action to expand it. Our ‘Seize the Sun’ report is full of bright, popular ideas on how to give more Aussies access to solar. All sides of politics should get behind rooftop solar in the run up to the next federal election.
“Supercharging rooftop solar is a triple win for Aussie businesses and families. It slashes power bills, cuts climate pollution, and powers our clean energy workforce.”
Climate Councillor, Associate Professor Tim Nelson said: “Australia leads the world in rooftop solar, with around 3.6 million Aussies already turning sunshine into savings and shaving a collective $3 billion from power bills every year.
“With Climate Council’s bright ideas for the Aussie Solar Drive and the Australian Energy Corps, we can extend the bill savings to millions more homes and businesses now, backed by household and community batteries and other technology like smart hot water systems that stabilise our grid and cut climate pollution.
“Rolling out more rooftop solar is the biggest opportunity we have right now to keep building on Australia’s clean energy momentum. It should be at the top of the agenda for all parties during the next term of parliament, and we can get the ball rolling with clear commitments today.”
More information on YouGov polling: YouGov polling, commissioned by the Climate Council in August 2024 surveyed more than 1500 Australians.
- 81% of people who already have solar on the roof would recommend it to their friends and family.
- Among people who already have solar, 79% of Coalition voters say they’d recommend it to family and friends, alongside 84% of Labor voters and 87% of Greens voters.
- 73% of people without panels said they would like to get them in the future, including:
- 64% of Coalition voters say they’d like rooftop solar, 80% of Labor voters and 93% of Greens voters who don’t have solar want it.
- 74% of voters support the government installing rooftop solar on all social housing properties, including 80% of Labor supporters and 65% of Coalition voters.
- 73% of Australians support governments providing financial incentives to help businesses install rooftop solar and storage systems.
- 72% of Australians support governments installing community batteries, which can lower bills even for people without solar by providing reliable, affordable and clean power around the clock.
For interviews please contact Jacqui Street on 0498 188 528 or jacqui.street@climatecouncil.org.au
Or the Climate Council media team on media@climatecouncil.org.au or call 0485 863 063.
The Climate Council is Australia’s leading community-funded climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.
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