Power up, not out

Carbon dioxide has passed the 400 parts per million mark, a milestone that we are unlikely to return from, according to Climate Council researcher, Petra Stock.

The last time that carbon dioxide levels were this high, humans were not alive. The safe levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 350 parts per million.

Ms Stock said, “The more carbon dioxide we release into the atmosphere … the worse the impacts of climate change will be.

“A rapid transition to renewable energies and to limit the burning of fossil fuels is essential to avoid making the problem worse.”

Phillip Leslie, renewable energy engineer at Living Power, believes the demand for renewables has driven technological advances within the industry, “Australian Standards are modified regularly to keep up with the evolution”.

“We have enough sunshine in this country to power our houses...”

However, the cost might be deterring people from making the switch. “Basically it is easier to burn coal rather than to adapt to a new way of producing energy…”, he said.

At the moment, the average Australian household wastes 20 per cent of the electricity they pay for, which can cost over $400 dollars a year.

Aron Crofts, Sydney homeowner, said, “I want to get solar power but it’s too expensive … all new housing should have it too.

“We have enough sunshine in this country to power our houses and if we had the ability to store it and use it as we need it, it would be good for the environment, but not for the power companies.”

“Time is on our side. Large projects in wind and solar take time to plan and implement, Mr Leslie said.“I’ve always thought that there should be a levy on every exported tonne of coal and that levy should go towards a renewable energy future fund”.

Where countries such as Sweden and Costa Rica are nearing their 100 per cent renewable energy targets, the Australian Department of the Environment and Energymaintains its 23.5 per cent by 2020 approach.