Background
Australia and India are similar in our huge potential to generate affordable clean electricity from solar energy systems. While the economic, environmental and health benefits from a transition to renewable energy are known, the technology is not easily available to all communities in these countries. Most rural households in India use solid fuels, while many remote and Aboriginal communities in Australia have little choice but to rely on polluting and expensive diesel for energy generation.
Impact
This project will increase access and adoption of domestic solar systems and reduce polluting fuel use in rural and remote Australia and India, contributing to cleaner air, affordable and improved energy security, and better health outcomes for rural, remote and Indigenous communities in both countries.
The project will run over two years. In that time, consultation with communities and businesses about their knowledge of clean energy and co-design ways of promotion, such as through local artwork and school competitions. The project team will also promote knowledge exchange and communication between communities, businesses, health practitioners, non-governmental organisations, researchers and other local stakeholders to promote business opportunities, and strengthen research and development and cooperation in the clean energy sector.
Project Outputs
Ford L.P., Matthews V., Vardoulakis S., 2022. Connection to Country has role in climate adaptation. 360info
Vardoulakis S., Matthews V., Ford L.P., Mathew S., Joyce C.A., Nagendra S., Martin K., 2023. Danger of poor housing in remote communities. 360info.
Vardoulakis, S., Nagendra, S., Ford, L. P., Matthews, V., Mathew, S., Joyce, C., Vasudevan, K., Zander, K., Joshy, A., Mitra, S., Indu, G., Shekar, S., Sharma, P., Mukherjee, B., Borah, P., Chawla, P., & Vine, K. (2023). Clean Energy for Healthy Environments and Lives: Rural and Remote Community Leadership in Clean Energy Solutions for Australia and India. ISEE Conference Abstracts, 2023 (1) – 35th Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology in Taiwan from 17 – 21 Sept 2023. https://doi.org/10.1289/isee.2023.OP-005.
Mathew, S., Bhatta, M., Baliva, G., Matthews, V., Zander, K. K., Joshy, A. L., … & Vardoulakis, S. (2024). Why are solar microgrids not the norm in remote Central Australia? Exploring local perception on solar energy and health. Journal of Cleaner Production, 144370.
Das, S., Indu, G., Nagendra, S., & Vardoulakis, S. (2025). Comparative Analysis of Indoor Air Quality and Health Risk Assessment in Academic Workspaces in India and Australia. EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr – 2 May 2025, EGU25-13038.
PRAKRITI Newsletters:
- “Transitioning away from Fossil Fuels, COP-28 and India” by Dr. Madhusudanan M (PRAKRITI, Volume 3, Issue 4, pp 15-18)
- “Climate Change and Global Health: A Growing Concern in G20 Meetings” by Prof Shiva Nagendra SM (PRAKRITI, Volume 3, Issue 3, pp 05-07)
- “Sustainable Chemistry and Climate Change” by Ms Samridhi Dwivedi (PRAKRITI, Volume 3, Issue 2, pp 21-23)
- “Global Accords in Mitigating Effects of Climate Change” by Mr Sanjay Sampath (PRAKRITI, Volume 3, Issue 1, pp 05-06)
