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Time to radically reform our energy system, says IEA
The International Energy Agency says it’s time to move beyond centralised generation to a flexible, demand-based system. And it outlines its vision for how the global electricity grid might look in 2075, noting the importance of technologies where Australia could play a critical role. -
The great big battle for Australia’s energy future
Growing evidence of slumping energy demand means the stakes are extremely high in the upcoming review of the Renewable Energy Target, as well as the proposed cash-for-clunkers buyout of brown coal generators. The future of conventional and renewable generation in Australia could well depend on it. -
CSP: It needs a new way of thinking about energy
Solar thermal technologies (CSP) hold the potential to provide up to half of Australia’s electricity needs, give it a significant place in the global supply chain and even become an exporter of renewable energy. But it may require a new way of thinking about energy grids – out with baseload, and in with dispatchable energy. -
Our power prices are plunging, but only for a chosen few
Australia’s demand for electricity has slumped sharply again, sending wholesale prices down to record lows. As the energy market operator prepares to cut its demand forecasts, some questions need to be asked. Is the energy market as it is currently constructed serving a useful purpose? And why do brown coal generators need compensation? -
Solar Insights: why solar will win the energy wars
Last week’s surge in solar PV production in Germany is just a taste of what’s to come. And with solar PV costs to fall below coal by the end of the decade, the energy industry is about to be turned on its head. Plus, Yingli’s “hockey stick” demand prediction. (Warning: This story contains graphs that owners of conventional power plants may find disturbing).
