Alan Brent, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
The good news is that New Zealand is on track to meet electricity demand with renewable generation by 2030. The less good news is that winter price spikes are still likely.
For decades, Victoria relied on its offshore gas riches. But the wells are running dry – and there’s no plans for more supply in Australia’s largest gas consuming state.
The Australian Labor government’s expanded Capacity Investment Scheme gives us a better chance of hitting high renewable energy targets. It’s not without risk but well worth the rewards.
Capping the wholesale gas price is a poor attempt to decouple the domestic market from the volatile international market. The only sure way forward is a domestic reservation policy for the east coast.
For the first time, Australia has moved to cap natural gas prices in a bid to stop energy price pain. Is the cap too high – or was it necessary to mollify the producers?
Existing decarbonisation measures are often unsuitable for the least efficient homes – failing to improve their performance will trap vulnerable people in fuel poverty.