Renewable energy sources accounted for 6 % of Australian energy consumption in 2017–18, comprising mainly biomass, hydro and wind energy. This includes renewable energy use for electricity generation, as well as direct use of renewables such as firewood for residential heating, bagasse use in manufacturing and solar hot water.
In 2018, 19 % of Australia’s total electricity generation was from renewable energy sources, including hydro (7 %), wind (6 %), and solar (5 %). The share of renewable energy generation increased from 15 % in 2017.
|
|
2016–17 |
Average annual growth |
||
|
|
PJ |
share (%) |
2016–17 (%) |
10 years (%) |
|
Biomass |
189.4 |
49.7 |
-6.7 |
2.3 |
|
- wood, woodwaste, sulphite lyes |
89.2 |
23.4 |
-3.9 |
0.0 |
|
- bagasse |
100.2 |
26.3 |
-9.1 |
4.9 |
|
Municipal & industrial waste |
4.8 |
1.3 |
-0.3 |
na |
|
Biogas |
16.1 |
4.2 |
5.1 |
2.9 |
|
- landfill gas |
12.0 |
3.1 |
4.4 |
na |
|
- other biogas |
4.1 |
1.1 |
7.2 |
na |
|
Biofuels |
6.1 |
1.6 |
7.2 |
2.3 |
|
- ethanol |
6.0 |
1.6 |
9.9 |
na |
|
- biodiesel |
0.0 |
0.0 |
-85.2 |
na |
|
Hydro |
57.7 |
15.1 |
-1.6 |
3.4 |
|
Wind |
54.6 |
14.3 |
20.5 |
16.6 |
|
Solar PV |
35.7 |
9.4 |
23.0 |
58.7 |
|
Solar hot water |
16.6 |
4.3 |
5.5 |
8.1 |
|
Total |
381.0 |
100.0 |
0.9 |
5.4 |
Source: Department of the Environment and Energy (2019) Australian Energy Statistics, Tables D
Australian electricity generation from renewable sources
Source: Department of the Environment and Energy (2019) Australian Energy Statistics, Table O
