Solar and wind energy enjoy strong support from the Australian public, with 80% of people putting them both among their top three energy choices in a poll for the Australia Institute.



By contrast, coal and coal seam gas were chosen by 35% and 38% of those polled as being among the best three future energy sources.

A separate review of medical literature by the Australia Institute debunked the fear that wind power damaged people’s health, finding “no credible evidence” directly linking exposure to turbines with negative health effects.

The poll of more than 1,400 people showed that solar was the popular energy choice of the future, cited by 63% of respondents. Nine out of 10 people said they wanted more solar energy.

Six in 10 people said they were concerned about the impact of coal and coal seam gas on the landscape.

Despite this apparent desire for renewables – as well as the country’s vast capacity for such energy – the Australia Institute report states that Australia now produces “only the world average level” of solar energy.

While the production of solar PV panels is relatively energy intensive, the report concedes, solar’s output of greenhouse gases, and its impact on air quality, is completely overshadowed by the burning of coal.

Wind has the potential to supply 40% of Australia’s energy needs, the report says, but the industry has been blighted by the “considerable attention” placed on the perceived health effects of wind turbines.

The Australia Institute points out that the National Health and Medical Research Council recently conducted a review of the scientific literature on the connection between windfarms and health and found there was “no consistent association between adverse health effects and estimated noise from wind turbines”.

The Australia Institute report states: “Perceived high levels of opposition have been linked to a vocal minority, with many surveys suggesting reasonably high levels of support, especially in community-owned wind operations.

“Wind turbines do cause bird and bat deaths, however rates are well below deaths from many other causes including climate change, and technological advances are likely to mediate these further.”

A Senate inquiry, established by crossbench and Liberal senators, is set to take yet another look at the health impact of windfarms. The construction of wind turbines has virtually ground to a halt nationally due to uncertainty over the renewable energy target. In Victoria they are banned from being put up within 2km of a dwelling without written consent.



“There has been fairly consistent support for renewables, which will only increase as people realise what’s about to happen with climate change,” Dr Jeremy Moss, co-author of the reports, told Guardian Australia.

“Australia is at a crossroads. Coal is on the way out and we’re choosing between gas, wind and solar. The health implications are fundamental, both direct and indirect,” he said.

“Gas contributes to global warming and so that’s the big reason not to do it, given that the World Health Organisation says climate change is killing around 150,000 people a year. That’s a clear indirect impact.”

Moss said he rejected the idea that gas and nuclear power, which are both lower in emissions than coal, should be used as a “bridging fuel” until renewables were online.

“You don’t build a gas plant for one or two years, you build them for 10 or 20 years so you get a return on them,” he said. “Also, most of our gas is being exported and it’s only better than coal if it’s replacing coal here.”

Moss said Tony Abbott was “very out of touch” with public opinion on energy. The prime minister has said coal is “good for humanity” and that he would like to see coal production go “up and up and up”.

Moss said: “Australia, despite Tony Abbott’s claims, can’t hold out much longer in doing something meaningful on climate change. We are completely out of step with the rest of the world.

“The government needs to acknowledge there is a climate change problem and commit to very deep emissions cuts. From those deep cuts we need to put a heavy focus on how we produce our energy and also look at the kinds of things we export.”

International climate change talks are being held in Lima, with the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, and the trade minister, Andrew Robb, representing Australia. The talks are seen as a crucial precursor to a UN summit held in Paris next year, where countries will look to strike a new deal to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

On Monday the government was accused of trying to set up those talks for failure by insisting any agreement clinched in Paris must include legally binding emissions targets.

A separate report released by the Climate Council on Tuesday raised the bushfire season outlook from “above normal” to “major” in Victoria, owing to dry conditions. The organisation estimated the bushfire season would cost the state more than $172m in the coming months.