Electricity in Australia in 2023

In recent years, Australia's energy consumption has been majorly drawn from fossil fuels, accounting for over 60% of their total electricity production. The bulk of this fossil fuel usage comes from coal which forms almost half of Australia's electricity sector at about 45%. Following this, the use of gas adds up an approximate of 16%, with a minuscule 1.5% linked to oil. However, significant strides have been made in promoting clean energy generation in the country. More than a third of Australia's electricity currently comes from low-carbon energy sources. Among these, solar energy is the most prevalent, comprising a little over 18%, making it the highest contributor to this clean energy mix. Wind energy follows close behind, contributing around 12%, with hydropower forming slightly over 6%. Capacities in harnessing biofuels remain relatively low at around 1%.

Suggestions

Australia can look to increase low-carbon energy production by expanding its solar and wind sectors as these technologies have been demonstrated to hold significant potential. Take for instance, Denmark, a country that generates close to 60% of its electricity from wind energy. Similarly, Uruguay relies on wind energy for about 40% of its electricity production. Other countries like Germany and the United Kingdom have managed to create a balance between their nuclear and wind energies, each contributing to around 30% of their total electricity. Adapting similar strategies and expanding into these low-carbon technologies could prove instrumental in elevating Australia's clean energy generation capacities.

History

Australia's history in low-carbon electricity shows some significant fluctuations. In the early 1980s, hydropower faced a slight decrease in generation, and this trend persisted well into the 21st century with intermittent increases and decreases evident through the years. An impressive growth in both wind and solar energy has also been observed in the last decade, with a noticeable surge starting around 2015 for wind energy and 2018 for solar. Both these forms of clean energy have experienced steady increments year after year, without any notable declines. For instance, solar energy generation shot up from around 3.4 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2018 to an impressive 8.8 TWh by 2023. Similarly, wind energy observed a consistent rise from 2015 onwards, bolstering Australia's commitment towards green, sustainable energy.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources