Australians are angry about electricity prices and both the federal government and opposition are proposing to cap them. Will this approach work, and what are the risks?
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Articles on Power prices
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The final design of the National Energy Guarantee promises that the policy will drive down power prices. But there is precious little evidence for this assertion.
Australia's consumer watchdog has concluded that rooftop solar incentives have distorted the market unfairly for those who cannot afford solar panels, and has recommended the scheme ends ten years early.
Energy justice is a social issue, and by leaving it up to vulnerable people to sort it out for themselves, we as a society risk making it even worse.
Scott Morrison's budget speech held no surprises on energy, after months of debate over the National Energy Guarantee. The real news comes in July with the release of a crucial ACCC report on power prices.
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.
Two decades ago, the then SA premier, John Olsen, defied a campaign promise and announced plans to privatise the state's electricity industry. It's been a high-voltage issue ever since.
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 latest report from the Grattan Institute, finds that claims about Australia being dominated by oligopolies are overblown.
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.
As federal and state energy ministers gather to discuss the Turnbull government's proposed National Energy Guarantee, many of the finer details of the modelling are not yet available.
The price of renewable energy will fall significantly relative to new-build coal in coming decades, making an all-renewable electricity system more desirable, both economically and environmentally.
Not everyone can afford to pay for solar panels up front, but local planners can help disadvantaged households overcome energy poverty in several ways.
The Turnbull government is still tying itself in knots over the future of coal, as literally decades of policy turmoil on climate and energy continue to roll on.
Western Australia has huge amounts of sunshine and wind, yet only 7% of its energy comes from renewables. What's more, most households in the poorest suburbs are still locked out of the solar panel boom.
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.
Bedding down an energy security policy based broadly on the Finkel model is now crucial for Malcolm Turnbull. But the issue will also test Tony Abbott’s judgement and influence, in what has long been a…
South Australia has unveiled its keenly awaited energy plan, featuring battery storage, a state-owned gas power station, and a thumb of the nose to the federal electricity rules.
Electricity retailers need to make their prices and offers more transparent and easier for customers to understand, or risk having to submit to price regulation to drive down bills.
Here's the real problem behind Australia's electricity woes: the rules that govern decisions about what infrastructure to build, and when, are inflexible and outdated.
Top contributors
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Honorary Associate Professor, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Australian National University
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Energy Fellow, Grattan Institute
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Researcher at the Australian German Climate and Energy College, University of Melbourne
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Senior Associate, Productivity Growth, Grattan Institute
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PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester
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Associate, Grattan Institute
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Director, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
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Associate Professor, Department of Political Economy, University of Sydney
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Mark Diesendorf is a Friend of The Conversation.
Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW
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Co-director, Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets, UNSW
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Senior Visiting Fellow in Energy Systems, UNSW
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Adjunct professor, Monash University
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Senior lecturer, Monash University
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Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute
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Senior Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology
