The soaring power prices expected to hit Australians are yet another reason the Albanese government should turbocharge its efforts on renewable energy and storage.
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?
Blue-sky thinking? It’s hard to assess the evidence base for the predicted outcomes of the National Energy Guarantee.
AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
Salim Mazouz, Australian National University; Frank Jotzo, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, and Hugh Saddler, Australian National University
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.
The takeup of rooftop solar was much more rapid and widespread than many policymakers predicted.
AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
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 poverty is no longer restricted to a few older or low-income householders.
Shutterstock
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.
Policymakers need to be smart about the smart meter rollout.
AAP Image/David Crosling
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.
Keeping the lights on has always been a stormy issue in South Australia.
Jon Westra/Wikimedia Commons
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 storm clouds have been gathering over energy policy for a decade or more.
Joe Castro/AAP Image
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.
Some sectors, like supermarkets, are not natural monopolies, but have significant economies of scale.
Sam Mooy/AAP
Andrew Blakers, Australian National University; Bin Lu, Australian National University, and Matthew Stocks, Australian National University
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.
Still no clear skies for the federal government’s energy plans.
AAP Image/Lukas Coch
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 new-build renewable energy is expected to fall significantly relative to new-build coal energy in coming years.
AAP Image/Lucy Hughes Jones
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.
Solar panels are integrated into a block of flats in the Viikki area of Helsinki, Finland.
Pöllö/Wikimedia
Not everyone can afford to pay for solar panels up front, but local planners can help disadvantaged households overcome energy poverty in several ways.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull still can’t seem to distance himself from coal.
AAP Image/Lukas Coch
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.
Solar panels are still a rarity in WA’s lower-income areas.
Orderinchaos/Wikimedia Commons
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.
Information about discounts will be simpler, but you’ll still have to do the legwork to shop around.
AAP Image/Julian Smith
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.