Solar Industry Tipped To Boost Power Generation And Jobs Growth

The solar power industry was likely to become a huge job creator after recently surpassing the coal-fired energy sector in job numbers, according to a new report.

And, according to the report from the left-leaning think tank The Australia Institute, another 8000 jobs will be created in solar power by 2018.

It said the photovoltaic industry employed more than 13,000 people, significantly more than the number of people employed by coal-fired power stations in Australia.

However, coal mining is still a significant employer and also pays royalties to the State Government. Recent figures showed that there were 28,623 directly employed in coal mining and 223,544 indirectly.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the there were only 9487 people working in the entire electricity generation sector in Australia in 2007, a figure which also included employment in gas, hydro and renewable energy generation.

Since then, the number of coal-fired power stations had reduced.

"The solar industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Large falls in the price of solar panels combined with assistance from Australian governments has allowed the industry to grow from just 8000 PV systems in 2007 to more than 1 million in 2013,' the report said.

"About 2.6 million people, or 11 per cent of the Australian population, now get some of their electricity from solar power.'

It said solar had grown from generating just half a megawatt in 2001 to more than 3200 MW in 2014.

"Solar power is predicted to become an increasingly important source of energy in Australia.

"By 2050 it is predicted that solar PV will make up almost 30 per cent of Australia's electricity needs.

"The solar industry is likely to become an even bigger employer in the near future as the price of both solar panels and battery storage come down.

"While falling costs and growing consumer support for solar PV will inevitably drive significant

increases in market share a potential barrier to the short term growth of the solar PV industry

in Australia is the ability of the existing energy industry to secure regulatory protections which

impede, or increase the cost of, solar PV installation,' the report said.

Original report is here: http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/solar-industry-tipped-to-boost-power-generation-and-jobs-growth/