New research confirms that Australian consumption habits and consumer attitudes to energy have changed significantly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, presenting an even more compelling case for governments and industry to ramp up investment, commitment and collaboration to secure a clean energy future.
A survey by GHD, one of the world’s leading professional services companies, found that less than 50% of Australian consumers believe the Government is on track to deliver on a perceived obligation to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions for Australia by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. There is also a low level of confidence in the business sector’s ability to contribute to this goal (41%).
Following the significant societal upheaval caused by Covid-19, GHD surveyed more than 8,000 people across the world to assess how changing attitudes and behaviours could influence the world of energy.
The survey revealed that 70% of respondents in Australia believe their daily habits will change over the long term due to the impact of the pandemic, with 32% expecting to work from home more frequently than previously. Demand for electric vehicles (EV) also looks likely to increase significantly in the short term, with 37% of consumers expecting to purchase an EV within five years. And 3 in 5 consumers have become more environmentally aware since the pandemic started.
“All of these changes will have a huge impact on the way our society consumes energy, and the ramifications for governments, energy suppliers and the broader industry are immense,” said Sarah FitzGerald, GHD Future Energy Lead, Australia. “We’ve known for some time the scale of effort and investment required to reach net zero. What we’re now seeing is the rapidly increasing demand and appetite for change in our society. Clearly the global shutdown forced many of us to reflect on our behaviours, social values and environmental footprint. Consumer demand for greener lifestyle choices – and the clean energy transition – is now in overdrive.”
Fortunately, Australia is particularly well placed to respond, with a unique combination of resources, conditions and passion for innovation, according to Ms FitzGerald.
“Advancements in future fuels like hydrogen show incredible promise to decarbonise high energy-consuming sectors across Australia such as transportation, heavy industry and heating, with most Australian states and territories adopting hydrogen strategies for domestic application and in some places, export. In addition to our existing solar farms, onshore wind and hydro schemes, it’s also pleasing to see an increasing interest in other renewable power generation technologies, such as offshore wind and organic waste-to-energy, which have been successfully used in other parts of the world.
“But we need to strengthen our shared commitment and work together to accelerate the transition. It’s crucial that the public and private sectors work together with consumers to shape a joint vision for how our world will need to operate. The more we commit to the transition and are seen to be investing in greener technologies and lifestyles, the more momentum will build.”
GHD is playing a role in contributing to a wide range of future energy solutions, including wind energy combined with battery storage,household hydrogen energy storage systems,export-scale renewable hydrogen production, and organic waste-to-energy projects.
Other survey findings include:
· Most Australian consumers agree that everyone has a responsibility to change their habits to help the planet become more sustainable (86%)
· 3 in 5 would be less likely to buy goods or services from organizations with a weak sustainability record
· 48% of Australian consumers that expressed an interest in driving an electric vehicle are not confident they’d have access to charging infrastructure locally
GHD’s whitepaper exploring the key findings of the global survey, entitled “The World of Energy Post-COVID: How changing attitudes and behaviours will shape the way we power our future,” can be found here https://communications.ghd.com/energy-post-COVID/pdf/Energy_PostCovid_WhitePaper_A4.pdf
