Renewable energy: rapid acceleration needed to meet 2020 target

Twenty large windfarms would need to be committed to in 2016 to get renewable energy target back on track

Meeting Australia's renewable energy target for 2020 appears increasingly difficult, with a report released on budget night describing the progress so far as "adequate under the circumstances" but saying a rapid acceleration is needed.

The Renewable Energy Target 2015 administrative report shows that last year about 409 megawatts of renewable energy was committed to. To achieve the target, 3,000 megawatts (the equivalent of about 20 large windfarms) would need to be committed to in 2016 to get back on track - a greater than sevenfold increase on the 2015 figure.