Research
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Energy reform after COVID-19Coal generators are pushing to delay importantreforms that would make the National ElectricityMarket more reliable and efficient and help loweremissions. Speeding up NEM reform will help drive economic recovery, not delay it. -
Submission on Offshore Clean Energy Bill discussion paper The Federal Government is expected to move in 2020 to pass legislation to start an offshore renewable energy sector.Wind is currently the sole commercially viable offshore renewable energy generation technology and it has considerable potential to contribute to the Australian and global energy mix.If the Federal Government draws on lessons learned in Europe’s successful offshore wind sector then it can design a good framework for the development... Read More
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Class ACT: How the Australian Capital Territory became a global energy leaderThe ACT will soon become the first Australian jurisdiction to achieve a transition from a fossil fuel based supply to 100% renewable electricity. Just seven other jurisdictions have achieved this, in Germany, Austria and Spain.
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Keeping up with the competitionWholesale demand response brings benefits to consumers and reduces energy prices. A rule change currently being considered by the Australian Energy Market Commission is supported by a wide range of consumer groups, but opposed by incumbent energy companies. Demand response is being introduced in major markets such as the USA, EU and China, where similar patterns of support and opposition have been observed.
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Cross-Industry Pressure Builds for ‘Demand Response’ Energy ReformA broad range of Australian business and industry representatives have written a letter supporting changes to the country’s energy rules that would allow demand response aggregators to enter the National Energy Market. The proposed change would allow companies to pay households, farms and businesses to reduce their use of energy, instead of turning on more expensive generators, when demand and wholesale prices are high. Signatories to the le... Read More
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Fair Dinkum Power Senate Submission The Australia Institute has long argued that the decline of fossil fuels in the electricity sector presents great opportunities for consumers, in terms of affordability, reliability and sustainability. The traditional model of centralised generators with a monopoly on supply is dying. Information and computing technology is providing the capability for consumers to flip the switch and become ‘prosumers’, able to produce, store, trade and manage... Read More
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Select Committee on Electric Vehicles – General Submission Electric vehicles are a very small segment of the Australian automobile market currently, with sales of just over 2000 vehicles last year, in a market with over 1 million annual sales.However technological and policy progress internationally is likely to see the global market grow significantly, with some predicting annual sales of 30 million electric vehicles in 2030. Electric vehicles pose significant opportunities to reduce emissions, imp... Read More
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Implementing wholesale demand response: AEMC submisson Australian Energy Market Commission is conducting a Reliability Frameworks Review, which is looking at how to improve reliability in the National Electricity Market.In our submission The Australia Institute argues that the best market reform under consideration by the Commission is wholesale demand response. Demand response allows energy consumers to reduce or delay their consumption of electricity and sell that conservation into the market.Whole... Read More
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Consumers left exposed to fake ‘discounts’ from energy retailersA new report from The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program shows that a Federal Government policy to prevent energy consumers being tricked onto expensive ‘discount’ contracts is unlikely to work. In his budget speech last week, Treasurer Scott Morrison said, ‘We will keep the pressure on the big energy companies to give you a better deal.’ Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg proposed a rule change to the Australian Energy Marke... Read More -
Time to join the budding revolution in local power schemesEveryone is saying Tasmania is a becoming a clean energy powerhouse, so how do we make sure ordinary Tasmanians get a piece of the action?[This article was first published in the Hobart Mercury on 9 Feb 2018 - here]One of the best solutions would be for communities to become investors and take power back from corporations and governments.Few people realise that communities can own energy companies. In the US, Rural Electric Cooperatives serve an... Read More