Regional Australia signs up for solar energy
04 May 2011
Regional and coastal Australia are driving the nation’s switch to household solar energy according to new figures, released today by the Clean Energy Council as part of Clean Energy Week. The data debunks the myth that renewable energy is more popular in the city latte set than it is in the bush. It also shows strong demand in working class suburbs. The research identifies the 20 postcodes nationally with the highest percentage of household solar installations - and Australia’s coastal and rural communities top the list. Sunshine Coast Beachside suburbs in the city of Caloundra came in first, with almost 12% (11.98%) of homes powered by solar energy, a fraction ahead of the Northern NSW hinterland community surrounding Alstonville (11.91%). Rounding out the top five were Victor Harbour in South Australia, Cedar Creek on the Gold Coast and Dubbo in Western NSW. Mr Matthew Warren, Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council, the peak body for more than 500 renewable energy companies, said the data showed how popular solar energy is in regional Australia. This should shatter the myth that solar energy is only popular amongst wealthier, urban Australians, he said. “It’s a common misconception that household solar panels are popular in our capital cities and exclusive suburbs, and not in rural and regional Australia or working class neighbourhoods. “These new figures show clearly that Australia’s switch to renewable energy is even more popular in regional Australia than it is in the city.” Alongside rural and regional communities, the top 20 list includes working class neighbourhoods like Epping, Sunshine and Altona in Victoria. This showed that average Australian families were thinking more about their energy footprint as well as rising energy costs, Mr Warren said. “Tariffs and rebates have done a good job of leading many typical Australian households to the conclusion that switching to solar makes economic and environmental sense,” Mr Warren said. “But the bottom line is, whether they are motivated by rising electricity costs, concerns about climate change, or simply wish to install the latest renewable energy technologies that add value to their homes, Australians are switching on to household solar energy.” Nationally, the top 20 solar postcodes are as follows: Caloundra City, QLD – 11.98% of households
Uralba/Alstonville region (west of Ballina), NSW – 11.91%
Victor Harbour/Hindmarsh Valley, SA - 10.83%
Samford/Mount Glorious/Enoggera Reservoir, QLD - 9.98%
Dubbo, NSW - 9.97%
Brunswick Heads/Ocean Shores, NSW - 9.80%
Bega region, NSW - 9.76%
Jimboomba, QLD - 9.03%
Burpengary, QLD - 9.03%
Hindmarsh Island/Goolwa, SA 9.03%
Buderim, QLD - 8.83%
Ormeau/Jacobs Well, Gold Coast, QLD - 8.74%
Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, QLD - 8.58%
Mount Barker, SA - 8.56%
Ballina, NSW - 8.40%
Kelso/Condon (Townsville), QLD - 8.27%
Tweed Heads South/Banora Point – NSW 8.16%
Fraser Island/Hervey Bay – QLD 7.83%
Mandurah/Dudley Park (south of Perth) – WA 7.43%
Forrestfield, WA 7.34% For further information please contact: Mark Bretherton on 0413 556 981
Ben Eade on 0406 641 881
Jai McDermott on 0400 435 646
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