Australia’s Pathway to a NET ZERO emissions future

Scott Morrison’s Speech to BCA

PM Scott Morrison addressed Australia’s efforts on global warming in a speech to the Business Council of Australia at the annual dinner in Sydney. He explained his ambition to reach the Paris agreement of Net Zero Emissions by 2050 will be centered around “the factories of our regional towns and outer suburbs. In the labs of our best research institutes and scientists. It will be won in our energy sector”.

While the PM did not give specifics of his plan to achieve the goal, he did mention that Australia needs to “change our energy mix over the next 30 years on the road to net zero emissions”. His comments refence the growing efforts worldwide to switch from traditional forms of energy production to newer and greener renewable energy production.

In his speech, he outlines that future plans would not involve “taxing our industries…off the planet”, citing it would hurt the livelihoods and employment for millions of Australians. Instead, he went on to say, “the key to meeting our [Australia’s] climate change ambitions is the commercialisation of low emissions technology,” Mr. Morrison said.

Leaders and Laggers, How Does Australia Fair?

During 2019-2020, countries such as Japan, China, South Korea and the United States had all started their intent to meet the agreed 2050 emissions goals. Additionally, countries that are in the middle of passing laws to aid their emissions reductions are Germany, Canada and Spain. Further, countries who passed laws during 2017-2020 to meet their statements include the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand.

Scott Morrison’s pledge to achieve the Net Zero Emissions agreement comes relatively late compared to most other prominent nations. Before Australia, 110 other countries had already promised their commitment to their emissions goal or enshrined their efforts in law. More information available here.

The Path Forward for Australia

Every nation will have a different economy and set of problems that require tailored solutions to meet. For instance, Australia currently has approximately 2.3 million street lighting lamps that provide the single largest source of carbon emissions for local governments: Total emissions through traditional public lighting accounts to roughly 30-60% of a LGA carbon emission. Additionally, not only do these lights produce large amounts of emission, they cost Australia $125 million annually. More Information available here.

This problem will only become more overbearing when tackling Australia’s promise to become Net Zero, and also adds surmounting pressure on an already overloaded and unstable electricity grid.  Also, a key consideration is the prediction of huge growth in the urbanization and creation of new residential communities – particularly in regional areas across Australia (refer to the following graph below)

Near Enough Is Not Good Enough

Knowing that the number of future new-housing communities throughout Australia is set to grow by a further 25% (Approx.) by the year 2036 (from 2021), now is the right time to begin adopting readily available clean energy technologies, because sticking to the status quo – of using Traditional electric powered infrastructure will only continue to increase energy emissions, costs add more strain onto our already overloaded electricity grid that ultimately future generations of Australian’s will pay the price for.

Australia’s SOLAR Opportunity in Getting to ZERO by 2050

As the world’s leading authority in SMART solar street lighting, Leadsun believes that the path forward for Australia to meet its net zero emissions goal is also ensuring that all NEW public street lights utilize best-in-class, Solar SMART technology that is ready NOW, to help accelerate Australia’s goal of being net zero by 2050.

In 2019, Leadsun began the largest ever solar street lighting project in the USA by beginning installation of over 10,000 smart solar streetlights.  These reliable lights have an estimated 25-year life span and are completely off-grid. Therefore, this US community of Epperson (located in Tampa Bay Florida), has ZERO Emissions generated from its new solar powered streetlights, unlike Australian Local Government area’s which average 30-60% emissions from still using grid powered streetlights. So, while the USA is benefiting from Leadsun’s environmentally friendly Solar lights, Australia is lagging 2 years behind in our efforts to reduce public lighting energy emissions.  

There’s no need to imagine how Australian communities can replicate the same here; The technology is READY and AVAILABLE. With the Scott Morrison’s drive to meet ZERO NET EMISSIONS, and Australia’s prime solar energy conditions, we have a golden Solar opportunity to seize. To learn more about how Leadsun can help Australia accelerate to NET ZERO emissions, please follow this link to this revolutionizing case study and see how it too can be applied in Australia’s communities.

Leadsun is bringing SMART road lighting into all Australian municipalities – easily, affordably and efficiently. If you are looking for a dependable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solar lighting solution to enhance your community’s public spaces, get in touch with us today.