Statement of Strategic Intent
The Australian Energy Council is the peak industry body for electricity and downstream natural gas businesses operating in the competitive wholesale and retail energy markets. AEC members generate and sell energy to 10 million homes and businesses and are major investors in renewable energy generation. The AEC supports reaching net-zero by 2050 as well as a 55 per cent emissions reduction target by 2035 and is committed to delivering the energy transition for the benefit of consumers.
Latest Analysis
Judicial review in environmental law – in the public interest or a public nuisance?
As the Federal Government pursues its productivity agenda, environmental approval processes are under scrutiny. While faster approvals could help, they will remain subject to judicial review. Traditionally, judicial review battles focused on fossil fuel projects, but in recent years it has been used to challenge and delay clean energy developments. This plot twist is complicating efforts to meet 2030 emissions targets and does not look like going away any time soon. Here, we examine the politics of judicial review, its impact on the energy transition, and options for reform.
Winter Bills: Is it cheaper to heat your house with gas or electricity?
As gas and electricity prices continue to fluctuate across Australia’s east coast, households and businesses are facing rising winter energy costs and growing uncertainty. Seasonal demand, household gas consumption, and the efficiency of electric heating systems, particularly when paired with rooftop solar, are playing an increasingly important role in shaping energy bills. Drawing on data from the Australian Energy Council’s Solar Report Q2 2025, this article explores how these factors affect costs and highlights potential savings for households of different sizes.
Unlocking Consumer Energy Resources: Addressing data sharing barriers with retailer participation
Australia’s energy transition increasingly relies on Consumer Energy Resources (CER) such as rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles and smart appliances, which are now essential to system reliability, affordability and resilience. Without effective data-sharing frameworks, however, the full potential of CER cannot be realised, limiting performance, innovation and market reform. A recent consultation paper under the National CER Roadmap identifies six key barriers, with retailers well placed to address many of them through clear policy direction and regulatory alignment. We take a closer look at the barriers outlined in the paper and the future role of retailers in addressing them.
Competition a key to VPP development: ACCC report
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s most recent report on the electricity market provides good insights into the extent of emerging energy services such as virtual power plants (VPPs), electric vehicle tariffs and behavioural demand response programs. As highlighted by the focus in the ACCC’s report, retailers are actively engaging in innovation and new energy services, such as VPPs. Here we look at what the report found in relation to the emergence of VPPs, which are expected to play an important and growing role in the grid as more homes install solar with battery storage, the benefits that can accrue to customers, as well as potential areas for considerations to support this emerging new market.
Australian Energy Council members have access to a range of industry benefits and services.
Latest News
Statement from the Alliance of Industry Associations on the Economic Reform Roundtable
An alliance of nearly 30 groups representing Australia's small, medium and large businesses, universities, farmers, pharmacies and the investment community is calling for red-tape tape reduction, planning and major project approvals reform, an innovation agenda, and a process for productive tax reform that doesn't raise costs for consumers or businesses, ahead of the Economic Reform Roundtable.
Latest Reports
Solar Report: Second Quarter 2025 
As of June 2025, data from the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) shows rooftop solar capacity has surpassed 26.7 GW, with more than 4.15 million systems now operating nationwide. Building on these figures, we examine the cost of heating a home with gas verses solar in winter, the levelised cost of energy, and the current payback period for residential solar.
Solar Report: First Quarter 2025
In the first quarter of 2025, rooftop solar capacity for homes and businesses in Australia surpassed 26 GW, with over 4.1 million photovoltaic systems now in operation, according to the Clean Energy Regulator (CER). Alongside these latest figures, we examine solar adoption rates 25 years after the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 established the market for renewable energy certificates (RECs). We also take a closer look at the levelised cost of energy and the current payback period for residential solar systems.
Stocktake of Certificate Schemes
Retailer certificate schemes have been growing in popularity in recent years as a policy mechanism to help deliver the energy transition. This report puts forward some recommendations on how to improve the efficiency of these schemes. It also includes a deeper dive into the Victorian Energy Upgrades program and South Australian Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme.
Solar Report: Year of 2024
The penetration of Australian rooftop photovoltaics (PV) in the energy market continues to rise and last year contributed 12.95 per cent (approximately 30,500 GWh) of the nation’s total electricity generation. This is an increase from 11.72 per cent (around 26,900 GWh) on the previous year, reflecting the growing role of rooftop PV in Australia’s renewable energy transition. In addition to the latest installation statistics, we take a look at other developments with rooftop solar, including the growing waste problem and the current payback period.
Latest Submissions
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Aggregated Resources in the Capacity Investment Scheme
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But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account. #Exercitation #IIamc
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer. #Exercitation #IIamc
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account. #Exercitation #IIamc
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer. #Exercitation #IIamc
But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account. #Exercitation #IIamc