HOUSEHOLD SOURCES OF ENERGY AND WATER

SOURCES OF ENERGY

In 2013-14 nearly all Australian households used mains electricity, with just under 100% of households connected¹. Households also supplemented their electricity use with mains gas (50%), solar electricity or solar hot water (18%), LPG or bottled gas (13%) and wood (11%).



USE OF SOLAR POWER

The proportion of Australian households using solar power as a source of energy, either solar electricity or solar hot water, increased from 5% in 2007-08 to 18% in 2013-14. This coincides with Federal, State and Local Government incentives to increase the installation of small scale renewable energy systems such as solar electricity and solar hot water systems. These systems may be used in conjunction with other sources of energy such as mains electricity. Since 2007–08, households in all states and territories have increased their use of solar power as a source of energy (the change over time for the Northern Territory was not significantly different). Solar power usage in the Northern Territory is mainly of solar hot water systems² rather than solar photovoltaic systems.



SOURCES OF WATER

Mains or town water is the most common source of water for Australian households. In 2013-14, 95% of Australian households reported sourcing water from the mains or town water supplies. Households could report multiple sources of water. Households also reported sourcing water from rainwater tanks (23%), purchased bottled drinking water (7%), water from bores or wells (3%) and grey water (2%).

Outside of Greater capital city areas use of mains or town water was lower (88%) and use of rainwater tanks (34%) and bores and wells (4%) as sources of household water were higher.

FOOTNOTES

1. Households in very remote areas were not included in the survey.
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005, Environmental Issues: People's Views and Practices, Mar 2005, cat. no. 4602.0, ABS, Canberra