On Q&A, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher said South Australia’s high electricity prices were “the consequence” of Jay Weatherill’s renewable energy policies. Is that right?
You may already have a smart meter at home, which monitors your electricity use at 30-minute intervals. But until you can access that data yourself, you could be missing out on the best power deals.
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.
At the end of 2017, Australia is starting to (slowly) address our energy problems. But it’s also clear the federal government has abdicated leadership and responsibility.
One way to cut your household bills could be to deal with just one company for all your utility needs. With today’s technology, it’s an idea that’s not so far fetched as it sounds.
The big questions about Malcolm Turnbull’s energy policy will be, for consumers, what it would mean for their bills and, for business, how confident it can be that the approach would hold if Bill Shorten…
The government is set to unveil its long-awaited energy plan that would scrap subsidies for renewables and impose obligations on power companies to source a certain proportion of ‘reliable’ supply.
Officially, Australia’s average electricity prices are the 11th highest in the OECD. But a look at the numbers suggests this is a significant underestimate.
The energy market operator has released a report on the state of Australia’s electricity system. It couldn’t be blunter if it tried: the market has failed.
On Q&A, an audience member said renewable energy is ‘now cheaper than coal’. Senator Matt Canavan disagreed, saying renewables are not ‘at the moment, cheaper than coal’. Let’s look at the numbers.
The government’s deal with electricity retailers to provide simple information to customers about their discounts and bills is a welcome step, but doesn’t cut to the heart of the power price issue.
Malcolm Turnbull has summoned the chiefs of major power companies to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss how customers can be given more relief through better deals on electricity prices.
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.