The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated an accelerated realisation of the importance of how we source and consume energy in our daily lives. Widespread household lockdowns have placed an abrupt pause on travel, economic activity, employment certainty and social interactions that has impacted energy usage patterns and initiated environmental flow on effects. A sudden change in urban behaviour has allowed us to better understand local and global impacts and the gaps and vulnerabilities of existing energy systems.
This paper provides an Australian perspective of urban energy usage within the global context and explores the role solar neighbourhood planning has in driving resilience and stimulating economic recovery towards safeguarding societal values and needs we often take for granted.
The full paper is available here.