Australia has Double the Emissions of Egypt
Australia is embracing rooftop solar PV, with nearly 3.3 million systems installed around the country. Yet Australia remains one of the world’s greatest polluters, with greenhouse gas emissions currently double those of Egypt, the host country of COP27.
Climate TRACE is a tool launched by Al Gore that monitors emissions. Australia’s emissions double those of Egypt despite Australia having a population one quarter the size. Dr Simon Bradhsaw, Climate Council Research Director, who is attending COP27, said: “This really shows just how much of a fossil fuel giant Australia is.”
Australia is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels. The World Meteorological Organisation states: “The need for a complete transformation of the global energy system away from fossil fuels to renewables is critical to avert increasingly dangerous climate change impacts.”
The call to scale up renewables, including solar and wind, is reflected in the first draft of the COP27 text: “The need to accelerate clean and just transitions to renewable energy during this critical decade of action, which requires immediate and massive deployment of all available clean and efficient energy technologies pathway which calls for scaling up solar and wind rapidly this decade.”
Affordable and scalable solar PV technology is available now. Australian innovation and expertise in solar means that there are many solutions for the massive deployment being called for by COP27.
Transitioning to Renewable Energy
“Greenhouse gas concentrations are at record levels,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Dr Elena Manaenkova. “Unless there are immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C will be beyond reach.”
The energy transition requires a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, using technology that is available and affordable now. IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook states that: “Renewables are the most readily-available and cost-effective way to provide 90 per cent of all decarbonisation by 2050.”
The transition to renewable energy needs urgent acceleration. At the level of current global commitments the world is unfortunately not on track to limit global warming to within 1.5°C. “With rapid and deeper emissions cuts through 2030, we can keep this goal within reach”, said Abdalah Mokssit, the Secretary of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). “Costs for some forms of renewable energy have fallen, use of renewables continues to rise and, in some countries and regions, electricity systems are already predominantly powered by renewables.”
Commercial Rooftop Solar
97% of Australian commercial rooftops are currently empty. Large and flat rooftops are ideal for Solpod’s solar pods, including shopping centres, warehouses and factories. Prefabricated Solpods are rapidly installed via cranes. Solar pods have been installed on Bentspoke Brewery in Braddon, Canberra, Google’s headquarters in Ultimo, Sydney and Woolworths in Wellington.
Australia’s abundant sunshine is being used generating clean, renewable energy with installed PV solar systems having a combined capacity of 27,167 MW of photovoltaic (PV) solar power.
“We have all the tools we need to address the growing climate challenge,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera. The business sector is well placed to contribute towards reducing emissions through using clean, solar energy.
The Solpod team developed a solar solution that enables more businesses to access solar and reduce their emissions. Businesses who rent the buildings they occupy can now reduce their emissions also. Our solar pods can be hired on terms aligned with a property lease. Solopds can be returned at the end of the lease or purchased.
Solpods are proudly Australian Made and manufactured. Find out more about Solpod’s redeployable solar pods by emailing info@solpod.com.au or call +03 9089 0753.