Analysis

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International Electricity Summit 2023: Australia goes to Washington D.C.

The International Electricity Summit is held every 12 – 18 months and brings together electricity industry leaders from around the globe to examine the major issues and headwinds facing the sector. It is an invaluable opportunity to meet colleagues from other developed economies and talk together to understand the challenges occurring in electricity markets globally.

BY AEC & ENA Oct 19 2023

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The risk of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms have long been flagged as part of carbon-reduction schemes around the world. While some policymakers argue that a border tariff is necessary to support a truly decarbonized economy and prevent “carbon leakage”, trading partners logically identify these charges as the imposition of carbon pricing on their domestic economies by stealth. Australia has now joined other countries in considering the suitability of a border mechanism as part of its climate approach. We take a look at carbon border tariffs emerging around the world, their rationale and their impacts on free trade.

BY Mitchell Cutting Aug 24 2023

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Productivity Commission offers alternative view of the IRA

Almost 12 months since it was passed by the US Congress, the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has sent shockwaves globally and in turn prompted debate on how Australia should respond. Of note in public commentary was the latest Trade and Assistance Review, released last month by the Productivity Commission which argues that an attempt by Australia to adopt countervailing policy responses would be a step in the wrong direction. We take a closer look at the Productivity Commission's views on how Australia should be responding to the IRA.

BY Braeden Keen Aug 17 2023

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Carbon Pricing Trends – where are we at?

Despite higher energy prices and global inflation pressures, emissions trading systems (ETSs) and carbon taxes appear to have weathered the political and economic challenges that emerged last year, and have continued to expand. That’s the latest assessment of global carbon pricing trends from the World Bank. There are now 73 carbon taxes or ETSs in operation. We take a look at the latest trends and developments.

BY Australian Energy Council Jun 15 2023

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Energy Outlook points to exponential electricity growth

Increasing levels of electrification and rising living standards globally will see an exponential growth in the demand for electricity, according to projections in BP’s latest energy assessment. BP’s Energy Outlook is updated annually to provide useful insights in the energy transition globally. It considers three scenarios which are designed to consider the full range of potential outcomes into the future and resulting carbon impacts. We take a look at what this latest review finds.

BY Mitchell Cutting Apr 27 2023

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Inflation Reduction Act, Part 1: What’s the Big Deal?

Since the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US last year, the full extent of its impact on clean energy developments has started to emerge. It has been described as a “game changer”, a “big deal” and the “largest investment ever directed to combatting climate change” and it is expected to have global knock-on effects. As a result it has raised concerns with other nations. We look at some of key areas in the Act and in a separate article below we consider the responses to the Act.

BY Australian Energy Council Apr 13 2023

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IRA Part 2: Responses to the Act

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has caused quite a stir globally given the breadth of its ambition and the real potential for it to impact clean energy developments elsewhere. Locally business leaders have suggested Australia needs to react. We consider some of the responses both locally and internationally to date.

BY Australian Energy Council Apr 13 2023

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New cost challenges for US Small Modular Reactor Project

Nuclear power for Australia’s electricity grid has been back on the agenda with suggestions it would help reduce our carbon emissions while providing baseload generation. Apart from the legal, regulatory and political impediments, cost has always been seen as a major hurdle. Considered one of the more advanced of the new small modular reactors, NuScale’s Carbon Free Power Project in the US highlights the challenges, including keeping a lid on costs, in getting new nuclear plants to commercial development.

BY Carl Kitchen Mar 02 2023

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Have high prices already cured high prices?

A huge challenge for governments considering intervention in wholesale markets is that consumer prices lag behind wholesale spot and forward prices. Customers are only just starting to feel the effects of events that happened some time ago. But after a year of relentless rises in wholesale prices, there may now be some good news. Gas, coal and electricity prices across the world, and in Australia, have taken a major correction downwards in the last two months from historically high levels, a trend that could well continue.

BY Ben Skinner Nov 17 2022

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A view from the Spree: Australian Energy Delegation to Berlin

While Australia’s east coast energy market winter can justifiably be described as an unprecedented crisis, Germany puts this into perspective as it is facing something much bigger and longer. Germany is also tackling decarbonisation of its energy sector and economy. The Australian Energy Council’s General Manager Policy and Research, Ben Skinner, recently participated in a delegation to Berlin as part of the Australia – Germany Energy Partnership. It provided an opportunity to learn about and from Germany’s decarbonisation efforts. Here we present some reflections on Germany on both the energy crisis and its long-term direction.

BY Ben Skinner Oct 06 2022

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Back to the future for California and Germany

This has been a year where extreme events have converged requiring extraordinary measures to manage energy supplies and avoid load shedding, not just in Australia but also in Europe and the United States. In response to extreme weather and gas limitations California and Germany respectively have had to take steps to keep nuclear plants that were scheduled to close soon online to support their electricity systems. We look at the factors at play and the responses in both jurisdictions.

BY Carl Kitchen Sep 08 2022

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Solar's China Syndrome?

A recent report by the International Energy Agency has highlighted the dominant role of China in the world’s solar supply chain. The transition underway in the global energy market will not be immune from this dominance. The IEA estimates one out of every seven panels produced internationally now comes from a single manufacturing site in China. As we have seen recently with Russia’s gas supplies, a supply chain dependency can be extremely disruptive. So, are there options to avoid this?

BY Australian Energy Council Aug 11 2022

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Renewable applications of District Energy

District heating has been designed around efficiently capturing waste heat from thermal power stations. But what about when those power stations close in favour of renewable energy – is the district heating system stranded? Developments are emerging overseas that could give these systems a life in even a fully renewable power system.

BY Mitchell Cutting Jul 14 2022

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German Energy: Necessity is the mother of (re)invention

The extent of the current energy challenges in Europe stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been starkly highlighted by measures being undertaken in Germany. To reduce its reliability on Russian gas Germany is readying around 10,000MW of non-gas generation reserve capacity, including coal plants that were slated for closure. We take a look at the measures and the potential impact of diverging from its coal phase-out strategy.

BY Carl Kitchen Jul 07 2022

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Outlook highlights challenges and change

The latest US Energy Information Administration (EIA) annual energy outlook provides a useful insight into the shifts in both the drivers of electricity consumption and the anticipated transition in the generation sources. In particular it highlights the ongoing important role that gas generation will play in the energy mix as renewables continue to grow.

BY Australian Energy Council Apr 21 2022

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EU hydrogen blending: Is it the right mix?

The European Commission’s hydrogen strategy aims to make widespread use of green hydrogen possible from 2030 onwards, while Britain’s gas grid is currently preparing to accept a blend of up to 20 per cent hydrogen. But a recent study claims that adding 20 per cent hydrogen in the European gas grid is “technically complex".

BY Justine Lovell Mar 17 2022

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International electricity prices: How does Australia compare?

Retail household electricity prices in the National Electricity Market are the lowest they have been for eight years, but how do the prices stack-up internationally? New Australian Energy Council analysis compares the prices against the world’s 38 OECD countries.

BY Carl Kitchen & Blaine Wang Feb 03 2022

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Green steel deal

With the world’s eyes on COP26, Australia may be looking in the wrong direction for the next major step on decarbonisation. Bilateral trade pacts centred around a US-EU alliance could be the way forward and may give Australia pause for thought on its own approach; but the picture may be more complicated.

BY Kieran Donoghue, Boardroom Energy Nov 18 2021

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Critical minerals and renewables: The supply challenges

The IEA's World Energy Outlook 2021 report is a crystal ball look at emerging trends and their potential impact on how energy systems evolve. While most of the focus is on the total share of energy markets by generation and fuel type, the report also carries insights into emerging energy security risks as the world moves to lower emissions grids - which it notes could be on a “bumpy” road.

BY Australian Energy Council Oct 28 2021

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Emission targets: The state of play

The Federal Cabinet recently met to consider the Government’s plan for a net zero emissions by 2050 target. This has proved challenging for the Coalition partners. The push for stronger interim targets has emerged in the lead up to the Glasgow Climate Summit and has been reinforced by other countries increasing their commitments. We look at some of the targets that have been set both domestically and internationally.

BY Australian Energy Council Oct 14 2021

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