Graph of the Day: UK has more renewables per capita than Australia

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Australia may lead the world in carbon emissions per capita, and even the penetration of rooftop solar in its towns and cities. But in terms of the amount of renewable energy it has installed per capita, it trails much of Europe, and is even beaten by the UK.

These graphics came from the recent report from HSBC, The Rise of Renewables, which we report about here.

It shows that in comparison to other key countries in Asia and Africa, Australia does well in renewables per capita – not surprising, given the relatively small population vis-à-vis countries in Asia and Africa.

But in comparison with North America it fades, with both the US and Canada having more renewable energy installed per person.

And in comparison to Europe, it barely rates. Germany, nearly at 1kW per person, is the leader, followed by Denmark and then Sweden. All have three times the amount per capita than Australia. Even the UK, with 293 watts of renewable energy per person, beats Australia, with 292 watts per person.

Giles Parkinson

Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of Renew Economy, and of its sister sites One Step Off The Grid and the EV-focused The Driven. He is the co-host of the weekly Energy Insiders Podcast. Giles has been a journalist for more than 40 years and is a former deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review. You can find him on LinkedIn and on Twitter.

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