Ambitious cuts to greenhouse gas emissions that are almost double the federal government's current target are possible using the clean technologies that already exist, a new report has found.
The approach, outlined in the Beyond Zero Emissions report, 'Deploy - Ambitious cleantech rollout to cut emissions and build a prosperous Australian economy' details how the cuts could fuel a clean tech boom in regions such as the Hunter.
It also outlines the steps individuals can take to cut emissions using wind turbines and solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, electrolysers and electric vehicles with chargers.
"Australia can cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 81 per cent by 2030 with a rapid rollout of technologies we're already using and the help of carbon drawdown initiatives," said BZE chief executive Heidi Lee.
"We've already shown we can lead the world in the deployment of renewable energy technology. We have the highest proportion of solar generation in our energy mix at 12 per cent, supported by more than a quarter of households generating power on their roofs.
"Australia has doubled its rollout of domestic solar generation over the past five years and our plan now requires us to double down on utility solar, wind and energy storage."
The report notes that wind turbines, lithium-ion batteries, thermal storage and electric vehicles are among the renewable technologies already manufactured in Australia.
It says a wide range of these technologies, including batteries, low carbon building materials such as green steel could be manufactured in the Hunter Region.
The latest report follows a BZE analysis released in June that found about 50,000 sustainable jobs could be created in the Hunter Region over the next five years as a result of a rapid expansion of renewable energy-based projects and zero-emissions industries.
The Million Jobs Plan argues the shift to a clean electricity grid is inevitable and a unique opportunity exists to accelerate it as part of the post-COVID-19 recovery.
Manufacturing zero emission buses, retrofitting homes and businesses with renewable technologies, creating new markets for coal ash resources, land rehabilitation projects and the manufacture of green steel are among the growth opportunities that exist in the Hunter, according to the report.
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