Australian Capital Territory’s (ACT) experience in moving from fossil fuel reliance to the goal of meeting 90 per cent of its electricity supply needs using renewable energy. The ACT’s Chief Minister has recently announced that the government is now looking at ways to increase the 90% renewable target to 100% by 2025.

In 2010 the ACT acknowledged that the best way to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As most of the ACT’s emissions come from home and office electricity use the government announced an ambitious target to source 90% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

A generous solar feed in tariff scheme for home solar quickly got the community involved. Aided by dropping solar costs, a steady stream of Canberrans have continued to install  solar, long after the subsidies were removed but it was clear from the start the heavy lifting would need to come from larger scale solar and wind power generation.

Solar and wind auctions followed with companies invited to bid to provide renewable energy for the ACT for the lowest reasonable cost.The results so far have been outstanding.

The ACT’s 20 megawatt Royalla solar farm has just celebrated its first year of operation with two others in the pipeline. A 200 megawatt wind auction secured the lowest recorded renewable energy prices in Australia and a second wind auction is now underway.

The government modelling puts the cost to households for these initiatives at about $4.50 per week offset by equivalent energy savings from an energy efficiency improvement scheme requiring energy retailers to supply energy saving devices like LED down lights and power controllers. Furthermore, the territory is benefiting from investment in local jobs, training, research and business development as part of the deal in procuring renewable energy.