Australian households spend $16 billion a year between them on electricity – and more of it, though the figure is still quite small, is coming from solar installations, according to a new report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on energy production and usage.
The report says household renewable energy production increased by 38 percent from 2002-03 to 2013-14, including a 5pc increase from 2012-13 to 2013-14. The rise has come at a time when overall energy use in households has been decreasing: down 7pc per household since 2002-03.
Despite using less electricity, households are paying much more – as all would know from a despairing glance at their electricity bills. ABS statistics show household electricity costs jumped 61 percent from 2009 to 2013, despite an average 4pc decrease in the amount of electricity used by households.
No wonder more households are turning to solar panels. Stats’ figures show household renewable energy production increased by 38pc between 2002-03 and 2013-14. The latest available figures show an increase of five percent in just one year, from 2012-13 to 2013-14.
Overall solar energy production – by industry and other users besides households – rose 14pc, though solar still accounts for only 2pc of total domestic energy production.
While little of it gets directly to households, wind energy is also on the increase: production was up 29pc in 2013-14. – David Frith
