Australians strongly support distributed electricity generation

High electricity prices make technology more attractive.

A survey by the Australian Photovoltaic Association and conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization indicated that overall, there is general support by householders to participate in the distributed energy market particularly through the installation of solar hot water heaters, solar photovoltaic systems connected to the grid for energy generation and with battery backup.

It was conducted to determine public sentiment and willingness regarding solar energy and the willingness of Australians to adopt it.

Most respondents said they felt buying solar systems outright was the best way to make an investment in renewable energy. The least popular method for going solar was the use of energy service companies.

Of the 2,643 respondents, 26% already had some type of solar panels installed at their homes, from complete solar PV or hot water systems or just a couple panels to power specific appliances.

Among those who already has some kind of solar installed, more than 70% said they were happy with their systems and would consider investing further in the technology.

Electricity rates in Australia rose over 40% between 2009 and 2012. These high power prices combined with falling solar prices have made the technology more attractive.