Australia’s new prime minister vows to make country ‘renewable energy superpower’

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Anthony Albanese has been sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister. Image: Australian Labor Party via Twitter.

Australia’s new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has pledged to make the country a renewables “superpower” following his Labor Party’s victory in Saturday’s federal election, which ousted predecessor Scott Morrison’s conservative coalition.

Addressing supporters in a victory speech in Sydney, Albanese said: “Together we can end the climate wars. Together we can take advantage of the opportunity for Australia to be a renewable energy superpower.”

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

He was sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister today before travelling to Tokyo for a meeting of the Quad security group, comprising Australia, India, Japan and the US.

In a press conference earlier today, Albanese said the meetings will “send a message to the world” that Australia’s new government “represents a change in terms of the way that we deal with the world on issues like climate change”.

Returning to power following nine years in opposition, Labor is currently leading in 75 seats in the 151-seat lower house, according to the Australian Electoral Commission, while independents and the Greens look set to win at least a dozen seats as candidates successfully campaigned on curbing emissions.

Ousted prime minister Scott Morrison has faced fierce criticism for failing to take more action to limit Australia’s emissions. While his government released a plan last year to reach net zero emissions by 2050, research group Climate Action Tracker says the strategy will not achieve that target, falling short “by a considerable margin”.

“Over almost nine years in office, the Liberal-National government’s approach to climate action ranged from inadequate to non-existent,” said Amanda McKenzie, CEO of Australian climate change communications organisation the Climate Council.

“Australians have been very clear on what they want: decisive climate action this decade. We are one of the sunniest and windiest countries on earth – the opportunities and advantages we have are off the charts. But only if we grasp them, and fast.”

Labor campaigned on a pledge to reduce Australia’s emissions by 43% from 2005 levels by 2030, compared with the Morrison administration’s goal of a 26 – 28% cut.

Labor is also targeting 26GW of installed renewables capacity by 2030, increasing overall renewable penetration to 82% in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM), up from 68% under a business-as-usual approach.

As part of Labor’s Powering Australia plan, AU$20 billion (US$14.2 billion) will be allocated to upgrade the country’s electricity grid so it can handle more renewable power.

Published last year, Powering Australia includes funding for 85 solar banks that will help provide cheaper electricity for more than 25,000 households that are said to be locked out of rooftop solar, like renters and low-income households. It also features a strategy to install 400 community batteries “to maximise the benefits of Australia’s rooftop solar transformation”, support the grid and provide shared storage for up to 100,000 households.

The Climate Council has recommended that Labor go further in its ambitions as it pushes for Australia to cut emissions by 75% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2035.

Climate Council researcher Wesley Morgan said Australia is “well-placed to be a renewables superpower”, adding: “The new prime minister needs to ensure we are taken seriously on the greatest and most pressing issue of our time.”

Research published last month by renewables association the Clean Energy Council found that while renewable energy now accounts for 32.5% of Australia’s electricity, there has been a slowdown in financial commitments for new plants, in part due to grid connection challenges.

Read Next

Premium
August 29, 2025
PV Tech Premium hears from Renewable Properties and Silicon Ranch about the new 'start of construction' rules for US solar projects.
August 28, 2025
Latin America has the potential to unlock billions in clean energy investment if it aligns national policies with global sustainability goals and investor expectations.
August 28, 2025
Venture capital firm Pacific Channel has launched Fund V, which targets 10GW of solar, wind, and energy storage in New Zealand.
August 28, 2025
Developer Pacific Energy has successfully commissioned a 26MW solar-plus-storage site at the Atlas-Campaspe mine in NSW, Australia.
August 27, 2025
The governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, has signed a new legislation that seeks to build 3GW of new community solar by 2029.
August 26, 2025
India installed 14.3GW of new utility-scale solar capacity in the first half (H1) of 2025, marking a 49% increase year-on-year.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines