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Oakeshott loses plot and falls through carbon floor
Rob Oakeshott’s call to dump the carbon floor price would condemn Australia’s scheme to the same fate as that of the EU – it would become economically irrelevant, and make Australia’s transition slower and more expensive. So why has he swallowed the polluters’ arguments? -
Can solar thermal energy compete on costs with wind?
A new Australian project aims to reduce the levellised cost of solar thermal energy to around $100/MWh – the sweet spot that will enable renewable technologies to deliver cost-effective clean energy. Can it be done? The good news is that storage may reduce costs rather than add to them. -
Why Lomborg’s cleantech ideas should stay in test tube
Contrary to the claims of the Danish protagonist and other vested interests, the IEA argues that deployment is the key to combating climate change and ensuring energy security. It says it is time to ‘rethink’ the global energy system, and opportunities abound. What is Australia waiting for? -
Energy wars about to be fought inside the home
Energy utilities are facing competitive threats all along the value chain. The most dramatic outcome for the consumer may be what happens inside the home as cable companies, home security firms and retailers jostle to offer a home energy management service. -
The extraordinary game of bluff in Australian renewables
The deployment of large-scale renewables in Australia remains at a virtual standstill. Ironically, unless it gets going soon, the market risks being caught short and unable to meet its incremental targets. So who will be blamed for penalty prices passed on to consumers – the retailers or government? More spinning wheels.
