After a big slump, the future is looking bright (ha) for solar power in Australia.
Employing over 10,000 people, and pushing South Australia into a world-dominating position alongside Germany and Italy – our Federal Government needs to start taking notice.
16,042 rooftop solar power systems were installed in January, and with several large scale solar farms currently under construction, that kicks the number of employees well over the 10K mark.
South Australia is winning in terms of power generated (48 per cent of all power generated in SA is from renewables – thanks, Elon), but Queensland is leading the charge with putting people in jobs.
6,421 people in the Sunshine State are employed in construction roles alone.
So what’s stopping us from really taking advantage of this boom?
“The only thing holding renewables back is a lack of vision from the federal government,” GetUp campaign director Sam Regester says.
“Federal politicians are still deciding policy based on what’s best for their coal donors, not what’s best for the community, best for the environment and best for the economy.”
Regester says or PM criticises South Australia’s clean energy program, even though it is literally leading the world in solar power generation and helping achieve emissions reductions targets.
“And he’s still pushing Adani’s destructive coal mine even though Queensland is already leading the country in renewable energy jobs,” Regester adds.
“People want a clean-energy future. The Turnbull government should stop caving to their coal donors and start supporting the technologies of the future that are already creating thousands of jobs, lowering power bills and saving our climate.”