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Driving Australia’s Decarbonisation: The Critical Role of Innovation, Agriculture, and Agrisolar

As climate-related risks intensify, Australia must embrace innovative solutions and policy frameworks that accelerate progress towards our national decarbonisation targets—while simultaneously incentivising businesses, landholders, and communities to become active partners in the solution.


Australia has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. While these targets represent significant steps forward, experts warn they may fall short of what is required to limit warming to 1.5°C. Meanwhile, a 2024 report revealed that Australian superannuation funds doubled their investments in fossil fuels over the past two years, even as clean energy investments declined.


In 2022-2023, renewable energy contributed 34% of Australia’s total electricity generation, comprising 16% solar, 12% wind, and 6% hydro. Fossil fuels continue to dominate the grid, supplying the remaining 66% of electricity needs. To meet national and international climate obligations, Australia urgently requires greater investment in large-scale renewable energy projects and supportive infrastructure.


Reframing the climate narrative


Addressing climate change is not only a technical and economic challenge—it is also a communications and cultural challenge. Research shows that young people experience higher levels of climate-related anxiety than older generations, while women are more likely than men to report concern about climate change. At the same time, data from CSIRO indicates that 21% of Australians living in regional and rural areas report no interest in climate change information or education.


Why do these divides exist? Factors including lived experiences of climate impacts, cultural values, political identities, trust in institutions, and economic dependence on carbon-intensive industries shape how individuals perceive climate risks and solutions.


Rather than seeking to change people’s minds through fear-based messaging, we must focus on building bridges through shared values, hope, and solutions-oriented narratives.


We admire the work of Anika Molesworth, whose book Our Sunburnt Country models this approach by blending personal insight, agricultural knowledge, and scientific expertise to cultivate optimism and empowerment. We highly recommend reading and sharing this powerful contribution to Australia’s climate discourse.


The challenges for renewables


The Need for Reliable Baseload Power

Australia’s electricity grid depends on stable baseload power—a role historically filled by coal and gas. Due to their intermittent generation, solar and wind energy require complementary investments in storage and flexible supply systems to maintain reliability. Without sufficient storage, solar energy is unavailable at night, and wind turbines only generate power when the wind blows.


Emerging renewable technologies such as wave and tidal energy offer promising alternatives for providing dispatchable, consistent power. Australian company Wave Swell Energy recently completed a grid-connected wave energy pilot on King Island, demonstrating commercial potential. The Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has published valuable insights into how ocean energy could diversify Australia’s renewable portfolio.


Safeguarding Productive Agricultural Land

Renewable energy projects must be designed to complement—not displace—agriculture. The agricultural sector contributes approximately 12% of Australia’s GDP and employs over 300,000 people, while also being responsible for 90% of Australia’s food supply. Protecting productive farmland is critical to safeguarding national food security amid increasing pressures from climate change, urban expansion, and competing land uses.


Delivering Genuine Community Benefit

Renewable energy developments in regional, rural, and remote areas must prioritise genuine community consultation, co-design, and shared benefits. Without these, projects risk deepening local opposition and eroding trust. A 2023 University of Melbourne study found that communities engaged in co-ownership or benefit-sharing agreements reported higher support and satisfaction with renewable energy projects compared to those excluded from decision-making.


Community partnerships should prioritise local job creation, revenue-sharing, reinvestment in local infrastructure, and opportunities for farmers to participate as co-owners or stakeholders in renewable energy generation.


Protecting Biodiversity and Minimising Land Clearing

Large-scale renewable energy installations have, in some cases, required significant land clearing, posing risks to native biodiversity, soil health, and ecological resilience. It is essential to integrate ecologically sensitive design, land restoration, and biodiversity enhancement measures into renewable energy planning to avoid repeating the extractive mistakes of the past.


Agrisolar: Integrating Renewable Energy and Agriculture


Australia’s agricultural sector manages 55% of the country’s land area—representing a powerful opportunity to integrate renewable energy within productive landscapes. Agrisolar, also known as agrivoltaics, involves co-locating solar energy generation with agricultural activities, creating economic, environmental, and social benefits while maintaining or even enhancing productivity.


Research shows that agrivoltaic systems can improve crop yields by reducing heat stress, increase livestock welfare by providing shade, and enhance biodiversity by restoring native vegetation around solar arrays. A 2023 study in Nature Sustainability found that agrivoltaics could contribute up to 20% of global electricity demand without compromising food production. Key benefits of agrisolar include:


Economic Benefits:

  • Revenue diversification through energy generation, carbon and biodiversity credit markets, and expanded agricultural outputs

  • Reduced on-farm energy costs

  • Progress toward carbon neutrality, boosting market competitiveness and product premiums

  • Local job creation and workforce development opportunities


Social Benefits:

  • Strengthened regional energy security and independence

  • Improved partnerships, collaboration, and community engagement

  • Reduced climate-related anxiety through empowerment and local participation


Ecological Benefits:

  • Improved biodiversity and habitat restoration on degraded agricultural land

  • Shade and weather protection for livestock and wildlife

  • Enhanced soil moisture retention and carbon sequestration potential


Supporting Agrisolar Adoption


To accelerate agrisolar uptake in Australia, we must ensure younger and more diverse farming voices, including women, are represented in energy and resilience planning. We must facilitate genuine co-design of renewable energy solutions with rural and regional communities, and equip farmers and local leaders with the knowledge, tools, and partnerships to actively shape renewable energy solutions in their regions


SEAOAKs Role in Advancing Agrisolar in Australia

SEAOAK recently announced a new 10-year partnership with the prospective Agrisolar Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), if federally funded in 2026, to drive the adoption of renewable energy solutions across Australian farms. This partnership aims to support farmers and agribusinesses in harnessing the economic and environmental benefits of agrisolar technology while safeguarding productive agricultural land and ensuring a sustainable future for regional communities.


  • Read more about SEAOAK's partnership with the Agrisolar here.

  • SEAOAK's partnership with the Agrisolar CRC was recently featured in PV Magazine, read the article here.


Additional Reading and References


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SEAOAK Consulting acknowledges the traditional owners of the land in which our office is located, and we pay our respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and acknowledge their unique and continuing connection to the lands, waters and culture of this region.

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