South Australia

Although it has only 8% of Australia’s population, South Australia has close to half of the nation’s wind power capacity and grid-connected solar energy. South Australia has a range of climate change targets, including achieving the Kyoto target by limiting the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to 108% of 1990 levels during 2008-2012, as a first step towards reducing emissions by 60% by 2050. Soon, South Australia will be the first jurisdiction in the Southern Hemisphere to enshrine in law its greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy targets. Other initiatives include: Buying enough green power to meet 20percent of the State Government’s energy needs; Introducing feed-in laws for renewables; and installing new generation mini-wind turbines on government buildings.