2022 Seminars
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
8-6-2022 12:30 PM
End Date
8-6-2022 1:30 PM
Description
Indigenous communities in remote Australia face dangerous temperature extremes. These extremes are associated with increased risk of mortality and ill health. For many households, temperature extremes increase both their reliance on those services that access to energy provides, and the risk of those services being disconnected.
Poor quality housing, generally lower incomes and energy insecurity associated with prepayment all exacerbate the risk of temperature-related harm. Building upon the work of Tangentyere Research Hub together with researchers from the Australian National University, we use daily smart meter data for 3,300 households to assess the relationship between temperature, electricity use and involuntary self-disconnection in 28 remote communities. We find that nearly all households (91%) experienced a disconnection from electricity during the 2018–2019 financial year. Households with high electricity use located in the central climate zone had a one in three chance of a same-day disconnection on very hot or very cold days.
A broad suite of interrelated policy responses are required to reduce the frequency, duration and negative effects of disconnection from electricity for remote-living Indigenous residents.
Recommended Citation
Riley, Brad, "'Energy Insecurity during temperature extremes in remote Australia'" (2022). Talking Heads Seminar Series. 5.
https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/nulungu_talkingheads/2022/schedule/5
'Energy Insecurity during temperature extremes in remote Australia'
Indigenous communities in remote Australia face dangerous temperature extremes. These extremes are associated with increased risk of mortality and ill health. For many households, temperature extremes increase both their reliance on those services that access to energy provides, and the risk of those services being disconnected.
Poor quality housing, generally lower incomes and energy insecurity associated with prepayment all exacerbate the risk of temperature-related harm. Building upon the work of Tangentyere Research Hub together with researchers from the Australian National University, we use daily smart meter data for 3,300 households to assess the relationship between temperature, electricity use and involuntary self-disconnection in 28 remote communities. We find that nearly all households (91%) experienced a disconnection from electricity during the 2018–2019 financial year. Households with high electricity use located in the central climate zone had a one in three chance of a same-day disconnection on very hot or very cold days.
A broad suite of interrelated policy responses are required to reduce the frequency, duration and negative effects of disconnection from electricity for remote-living Indigenous residents.
