By boosting the demand for energy from the grid, electric cars could help create an incentive for more renewable energy investment, while smoothing over issues with supply and demand.
Privatisation and competition were supposed to make electricity cheaper. Instead, Australia’s quasi-federal energy system has made it easier to pass the buck when things go wrong.
Fossil fuel advocates claim only coal and gas can deliver cheap and reliable energy, and renewables are synonymous with sustainability. But demand management can solve all three problems.
The potential shutdown of Victoria’s Hazelwood power station could leave a large gap in coal-fired baseload generation. But other coal power stations have plenty of spare capacity to fill the gap.
Alex Fattal, University of Technology Sydney and Nicky Ison, University of Technology Sydney
The electricity market that covers most of Australia is designed to have periods of high prices, to attract new generators. But there may be better ways to encourage electricity investment.
What are the key policy challenges facing the new Turnbull government in terms of economic growth and budgets, cities, transport, energy, school education, higher education and health?
When will residential solar be cheaper than the cost of power from the grid? This point of ‘grid parity’ is a moving target but moving closer in a number of places.
The ‘early adopters’ of home battery storage will pay significantly more than those who come later, but it won’t be long until prices drop enough for many more to get on board.
By 2030 renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will cost a similar amount to fossils fuels such as coal and gas, thanks to falling technology costs
In June this year, forecasts revealed residential and business demand has risen for the first time in five years. The trend could be here to stay, according to a report released today from the Australia Institute.
The South African Reserve Bank is a fine example of clear communication of the decision whether to hold, increase, or decrease interest rates. It also gives clear signals of future decisions.
James Whitmore, The Conversation and Michael Hopkin, The Conversation
The federal government’s keenly awaited Energy White Paper is firmly focused on cutting prices and red tape, and boosting industry competitiveness - and less so on climate change and renewable energy.