After a decade of rising electricity bills, prices are projected to fall thanks to new renewable generation.
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National Electricity Market – Analyses
Australia can become a renewable energy exporting superpower, but timidity won’t get us there.
‘Switchers’ who change their energy retailers often are following accepted wisdom, but research shows it saves them far less than expected.
The likelihood of half of Victoria being plunged into blackout are low – but the question reveals growing tension between the energy market and its regulators.
State renewable energy targets have been driving energy investment in Australia. ‘Where and when’ the generation and transmission build occurs varies substantially under a national approach.
Proposed rules for managing energy demand could potentially lower prices and reduce blackout risk, but there are reasons to be skeptical.
Transitioning to renewable energy will cost us something, but the benefits far outweigh the price.
Summer is here and the chance of blackouts is higher than normal. But the cause is unlikely to be the power station. The problem is usually much closer to home – in the local poles and wires.
Energy companies offer thousands of different prices, making finding the best deal all but impossible.
The federal government is primarily to blame for the mess that is Australia’s energy policy. It’s time for the states to step up, to reduce both prices and emissions.
‘Energy security’ isn’t just about cheaper bills. We urgently need to design a modern, safe Australian grid.
Sections of the media have talked up the prospects of future power outages, even though the electricity market operator predicts that Australia’s stringent reliability standards will still be met.
February is the riskiest time of the year for blackouts, as the nation returns to work and school and soaring temperatures put pressure on the system.
The Long Read: Most Australians’ power bills have been rising for a decade. There are many reasons why, but the common thread is a lack of government willingness to get to grips with crucial policy problems.
The government’s handshake deal with gas suppliers may have stopped the market plunging off a cliff, but it’s not doing much more.
Much of Australia’s energy debate is centred around ‘models’ of various policies. But how do they work? And what can they really tell us?
New modelling suggests that Australia could use renewable energy to hit its 2030 emissions reduction targets, without it costing any more overall than maintaining the status quo.
A recent report claims that Australia’s energy can reliably come from 50% renewable sources by 2030. But arguing over renewable levels distracts from a paucity of policy.
The National Energy Guarantee proposal seems geared towards locking in the status quo rather than driving the much-needed energy transition.
The National Energy Guarantee promises to make electricity supply more reliable, cheaper and less polluting.
The new policy will put the onus on electricity retailers to cut emissions while guaranteeing reliability. And while the scheme isn’t perfect, it offers a rare opportunity for bipartisanship.
We have learned a lot in the year since South Australia’s lights went out, and have made some useful early reforms. But the energy sector and politicians need to chart a much steadier course in future.
We don’t know whether electricity generators are bidding in “good faith” because they are providing data in a form that defies analysis.
The energy market operator has warned of possible future electricity shortages – but only if everything stays frozen as it is now.
A panel of leading economists has given its majority verdict on Alan Finkel’s proposed Clean Energy Target: it may not be the best possible emissions policy, but we should get on with it anyway.