Australia's energy transformation is ramping up, but there are major challenges ahead
2 years, 5 months ago

Australia's energy transformation is ramping up, but there are major challenges ahead

ABC  

Katherine Myers and her husband Ben are fifth-generation potato farmers. Key points: AEMO says five new transmission line projects should be progressed "as urgently as possible" Many experts and investors say the grid needs upgrading to meet renewable energy targets Hundreds of people in a regional Victorian community are campaigning against lines set to go through their town They live with their children in western Victoria, where a renewable energy transition is underway, and like the majority of Australians, care deeply about preventing climate change. Those overhead wires — and the transmission towers to carry them — are part of a plan to create a big, renewable energy hub in Western Victoria, delivering zero-emissions electricity to Melbourne, a project the energy market operator has now deemed "imperative" to Australia's energy future. "It's a very ambitious agenda," says Simon Corbell, a former Labor deputy chief minister of the ACT who now represents renewable energy investors. "Plenty of power is being generated by renewable energy resources with simply not enough transmission capacity to get it to load," Mr Martin says.

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History of this topic

A small WA seaside town was forced to switch off gas, becoming a 'prototype' for the green energy transition
3 months ago

A small WA seaside town was forced to switch off gas, becoming a 'prototype' for the green energy transition

ABC  

A couple of years ago, Sharon Vermiji got a rude shock when she opened a letter from her energy provider. "When we started the project, we were hoping to get Esperance to about 50 per cent renewable energy," Ms Unwin says. Ms Unwin says the transition off gas for many customers was "scary" – most were worried about losing something …

Nuclear could fill a niche in Australia's energy mix, but renewables will need to do the heavy lifting, business leaders say
6 months ago

Nuclear could fill a niche in Australia's energy mix, but renewables will need to do the heavy lifting, business leaders say

ABC  

In short: Even if Australia's nuclear ban is overturned, energy sector leaders believe renewables will generate most of Australia's power in the future. Even if Australia's nuclear ban is overturned, energy sector leaders believe renewables will generate most of Australia's power in the future. Renewables will continue to do the heavy lifting for Australia's decarbonisation and energy generation, but some …

CSIRO survey finds most Australians want moderately paced energy transition and are unwilling to pay more
8 months, 2 weeks ago

CSIRO survey finds most Australians want moderately paced energy transition and are unwilling to pay more

ABC  

In short: The CSIRO has conducted what is says is the biggest survey on Australians' attitudes towards the energy transition. By comparison, "other priorities in people's top three" included Australia increasing its energy self-reliance, at 71 per cent, and the reduction of carbon emissions, at 56 per cent. "Many Australians held generally moderate attitudes towards living near renewable energy infrastructure, …

Australia inches closer to 2030 emissions target, amid debate over renewable energy push
1 year ago

Australia inches closer to 2030 emissions target, amid debate over renewable energy push

ABC  

The government says Australia is on its way to hitting its 2030 climate targets as it faces criticism from conservation groups for support of fossil fuels. Key points: Australia is on track for a 42 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, according to new government data The government announced a renewable energy scheme this week, targeting 82 per cent …

Australia to significantly bolster green energy investment
1 year, 1 month ago

Australia to significantly bolster green energy investment

Hindustan Times  

Australia plans to dramatically expand its policy to lure renewable energy investment to the country, Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said, as concerns grow that the government is on track to miss its 2030 green energy targets. The center-left Labor government has expanded Australia’s action to tackle climate change since coming to power in May 2022. The government had …

Taxpayers to subsidise renewable energy projects as government concedes Australia set to miss targets
1 year, 1 month ago

Taxpayers to subsidise renewable energy projects as government concedes Australia set to miss targets

ABC  

The federal government is massively expanding a taxpayer-funded scheme to subsidise and underwrite new renewable energy projects, in an admission that Australia is not currently on track to reach its 2030 target for the power grid. Key points: The energy minister has conceded Australia is not on track to meet its 82 per cent renewables target A scheme to subsidise …

The hints have been coming for a while, but now it's official: Australia isn't on track to meet its climate targets
1 year, 1 month ago

The hints have been coming for a while, but now it's official: Australia isn't on track to meet its climate targets

ABC  

The first official concession came three weeks ago. The engineering brain drain facing Australia's renewable energy sector Photo shows Aerial shot lookingn straight down at big battery project under construction The renewable energy sector says large investment is urgently needed to keep up with the United States' landmark IRA bill. On top of the soaring supply chain costs and higher …

Unions concerned that Australia is falling behind internationally in developing energy industries
1 year, 4 months ago

Unions concerned that Australia is falling behind internationally in developing energy industries

ABC  

It has being dubbed a renaissance in American manufacturing. A once-in-a-generation opportunity The UTS Institute of Sustainable Futures last year found Australia needs 12,000 new workers in renewable energy by 2025. Ms O'Neil says it's all about framing Australia’s transition to a renewable energy manufacturing hub as a massive opportunity for new jobs. "National prosperity is sitting on a pretty …

Australia will fall well short of 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030, analysts predict, as problems mount
1 year, 4 months ago

Australia will fall well short of 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030, analysts predict, as problems mount

ABC  

Plans by the federal government for Australia to generate more than four-fifths of its power from renewable sources by 2030 are coming under pressure amid claims the country is way off track. Key points: There are increasing suggestions Australia will fall short of its 2030 renewable power target of 82 per cent Analysts predict Australia's share of renewable energy is …

Billion-dollar brawl over power lines suggests Australia's energy transition is in full swing
1 year, 8 months ago

Billion-dollar brawl over power lines suggests Australia's energy transition is in full swing

ABC  

A little over a decade ago, in the heat of the political wars over carbon pricing in Australia, an embattled Gillard government tried to redirect public ire at rising power bills. Among the first cabs off the rank would be two in Victoria — the $300 million Western Renewables Link and the much bigger $3.3 billion VNI West project between …

AEMO warns parts of the country to face electricity shortages without immediate investment in the sector
1 year, 10 months ago

AEMO warns parts of the country to face electricity shortages without immediate investment in the sector

ABC  

Australia's energy operator has called for more investment in energy production to avoid a shortfall as the nation transitions from coal production to renewable sources Key points: AEMO predicts minor reliability issues will emerge from 2025 onwards, before escalating and appearing in all mainland states from 2027 In Victoria, environmental advocates say the report doesn't factor in more than 100 …

Australia adding green energy at less than half the required rate to keep grid stable: UNSW
1 year, 10 months ago

Australia adding green energy at less than half the required rate to keep grid stable: UNSW

ABC  

Australia is adding renewable energy at less than half the pace required to replace retiring coal-fired generation and meet its own 2030 climate targets, one of the country's top energy experts says. Key points: University of NSW research shows the growth rate of green energy needs to more than double A senior researcher says grid stability is at stake as …

Turmoil widens Australia's energy divide as costs accelerate fastest for poorer households
2 years ago

Turmoil widens Australia's energy divide as costs accelerate fastest for poorer households

ABC  

Australia's energy crisis is widening the gulf between rich and poor households according to a new report that shows costs accelerating much faster for consumers on low and middle incomes. Key points: Energy Consumers Australia says power costs are rising faster for poorer households than wealthy ones Electricity bills have jumped 20 per cent on average this year and further …

Queensland's clean energy and hydro power plan faces cost and delivery obstacles, experts warn
2 years, 2 months ago

Queensland's clean energy and hydro power plan faces cost and delivery obstacles, experts warn

ABC  

Energy experts have welcomed Queensland's "highly ambitious" clean energy plan — but will it turn the state into the "global renewable energy superpower" the premier promised? The plan is largely contingent on the Queensland "SuperGrid" – a network of renewable energy generators, energy storage devices and transmission lines that will be built across the state. "The total capacity of these …

Energy transition will lead to lower power prices but getting there could be costly, reports warn
2 years, 2 months ago

Energy transition will lead to lower power prices but getting there could be costly, reports warn

ABC  

After a turbulent year in the energy sector, two major reports released today have highlighted energy affordability as a significant challenge in Australia's transition away from fossil fuels to renewable power. Key points: The State of the Energy Market looks back on a year of change, including the unprecedented suspension of the wholesale electricity spot market in June It has …

Australia's energy crisis makes winners out of fossil fuel exporters and losers of everyone else, expert says
2 years, 4 months ago

Australia's energy crisis makes winners out of fossil fuel exporters and losers of everyone else, expert says

ABC  

This month, Australia's third-biggest power provider EnergyAustralia revealed it had plunged to a $1.6 billion loss for the first six months of this year. Key points: Australia's biggest power provider AGL on Friday reported a 58 per cent drop in benchmark full-year profit The fall follows similar slumps for the electricity and gas retailer businesses of Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia …

Australia 'on track' to generate half its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, report finds
2 years, 5 months ago

Australia 'on track' to generate half its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, report finds

ABC  

Australia is on track to generate half its electricity needs from renewable sources within three years, according to a report highlighting the extraordinary pace of change underway in the country's energy system. Key points: The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering says the country's renewable energy share will rise to 69 per cent by 2030 The academy is calling …

AEMO's plan to fix the broken energy system seems so simple, but it's likely to be anything but
2 years, 5 months ago

AEMO's plan to fix the broken energy system seems so simple, but it's likely to be anything but

ABC  

Woven throughout a blueprint for Australia's energy system is a term that needs little explaining — urgent. Finally, and perhaps most critically, AEMO is calling for the urgent construction of five high-voltage transmission lines required to bring so much of the planned renewable energy capacity to the people who use it. Few people with knowledge of the energy system would …

Australia's energy ministers have an 11-point plan. Here's why it won't ease prices any time soon
2 years, 6 months ago

Australia's energy ministers have an 11-point plan. Here's why it won't ease prices any time soon

ABC  

Australia's surging power prices have been hit by the "perfect storm", and that's being felt in households around the country. But an 11-point plan from Australia's energy ministers released after meeting on Wednesday isn't going to ease prices any time soon, with federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen saying there's no "silver bullet". A cold snap, rising fuel prices thanks to …

Amid soaring energy costs, businesses fear for their future if something doesn't change
2 years, 6 months ago

Amid soaring energy costs, businesses fear for their future if something doesn't change

ABC  

Australian businesses are warning they will collapse if a long-term plan is not implemented to mitigate soaring gas and electricity costs. Key points: Australian businesses warn they will collapse without a long-term plan to mitigate soaring energy prices New Energy Minister Chris Bowen has cautioned Australia is on the precipice of a gas crisis It comes as an Australian energy …

New Energy Politics in Australia
2 years, 9 months ago

New Energy Politics in Australia

The Diplomat  

In February, one of Australia’s major energy companies announced that it would close Australia’s largest coal-fired power station in 2025, seven years earlier than expected. Last year, the Yallourn power plant in Victoria also announced it was bringing its closure ahead four years to 2028 While these trends are positive for Australia’s carbon emissions, there are strong political ramifications that …

Fears proposal to charge households with solar panels to export electricity will kill demand for solar energy
3 years, 7 months ago

Fears proposal to charge households with solar panels to export electricity will kill demand for solar energy

ABC  

An energy expert has hit out at a new proposal to charge solar panel users for exporting their excess electricity, labelling it a "sun tax" and arguing it will cost solar households more than is being estimated by the independent statutory body pushing the changes. Key points: For years, solar panel owners have been able to sell their surplus energy …

10 ways renewable energy’s boom year will shape 2021
3 years, 11 months ago

10 ways renewable energy’s boom year will shape 2021

Live Mint  

Despite the pandemic, the new year begins with surging growth for renewable energy. America’s solar broke good and bad records Residential installations in the US dropped nearly 20% in the second quarter of 2020 from the first—the most ever—as the pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders, according to Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association. On the plus side, though, bids …

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