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Origin of the energy species: Will our utilities ever evolve?
Grant King’s new attack on renewables – and the carbon price – was expected by most in the industry. It underlines the fear that Australia’s utilities are not ready to evolve, unless there is strong political leadership. Sadly, there is not much chance of that. -
Australian cleantech sector tips $30bn – outranks car making
Australia’s often-ignored cleantech sector is now bigger than car making and one quarter the size of the country’s entire manufacturing sector. A new report also highlights the big trends in 2013 – growing investment from overseas, a rush to an ETS whoever wins government, and a stronger focus on energy and resource efficiency. -
Great big tax on electricity: The money-go-round on discounts
Energy retailers place great store on the image of “competition”. But the discounts offered to a minority of consumers are subsidised by the majority, and add more to electricity bills than green energy schemes like the renewable target. Even the competition regulators say retailers are getting a “free kick” because it costs them nothing. So where’s the outrage that was directed to solar incentives? -
The beginning of the end for centralised generation?
UBS predicts that 50GW of coal and gas-fired generation will need to be sacrificed in the next four years to ensure that the remaining fossil fuel plants can make money. The centralised generation model is in decline, but will the energy dinosaurs know how to react? There’s a lesson here for Australian utilities. -
Climate policy and the art of political survival
Bernie Fraser’s Climate Change Authority is almost certain to be closed down should the Coalition win power in this year’s election. How he must envy the position of David Kennedy, his counterpart in the UK. Kennedy tells RE why his institution enjoys bipartisan support on the need to act on climate change, and the need to act early. One clue: not many sceptics. -
Australia may have up to 10GW of solar PV by 2017
Australia will at least double, and could quadruple its amount of solar PV over the next four years, new analysis shows. Unlike most international markets, however, Australia is focused on rooftop solar, with ground-mounted solar farms playing only a minor role in the coming years.
