Energy
1 July 2018
Mostly working: Australia’s wholesale electricity market
A conversation with Energy Program Director, Tony Wood and Associate Lucy Percival. Wholesale electricity prices rose by 130 per cent between 2015 and 2017. But governments can’t fix the problem, because most of the price rises are caused by issues beyond their control. Politicians should tell Australians the harsh truth: high electricity prices are the new normal.
28 May 2018
Energy and climate-change policy in Australia
A conversation with Energy Program Director, Tony Wood. Energy has become one of the great barbecue-stoppers of Australia. Electricity and gas bills are soaring, energy supplies seem to be less reliable than they used to be, and if you really want to start an argument around the barbeque, say you’re in favour of coal-fired power, or that you want nothing but renewables such as wind and solar.
16 May 2018
Energy Futures Seminar: National Energy Guarantee – why is it so important and what happens next? – Sydney
Event podcast: At this Energy Futures Seminar, ESB Chair, Kerry Schott, Grattan Institute’s Tony Wood and Tim Nelson from AGL as they explained, discussed and debated these issues. The Forum was moderated by Jennifer Hewett from the Australian Financial Review and was hosted by the Melbourne Energy Institute, Grattan Institute and the State Library of New South Wales.
11 April 2018
Energy Futures Seminar: What does a truly sustainable electricity network look like? – Melbourne
Event Recording: Electricity network costs continue to be an area of significant focus for consumers, government, regulators and media, as well as network businesses themselves. In some cases, claims have been made that network prices are paying for investments the value of which has since been questioned. Experts from Grattan Institute, Powerlink and the Melbourne Energy Institute debated and explored these challenges in this first of our Energy Future Series for 2018.
26 March 2018
Down to the wire: A sustainable electricity network for Australia
A conversation with Grattan Senior Associate, Kate Griffiths. State governments have spent up to $20 billion more than was needed on the electricity grid. Customers are paying up to $400 more for their power each year than they should. They should get a rebate, or governments should write down the value of the assets to reduce electricity bills.
23 January 2018
The ten-year story of Australia’s Electricity price rise crisis
A conversation with Energy Fellow, David Blowers. Australia’s electricity sector is in crisis, or something close to it. But electricity shortages are just one part of the story – for most Australians a more visible and perhaps crucial part of this crisis is our ever-increasing electricity bills and everyone wants to blame someone else for the problem. Is there a single factor responsible for our electricity pricing woes? Or is the story more complex than that?
13 September 2017
Retail Competition in the electricity sector and energy price
Event podcast: this Energy Futures Seminar, a part of the Policy Pitch series, explored the Thwaites Review findings and the Grattan Report ‘Price shock: Is the retail electricity market failing consumers?’ released earlier this year. The expert panel, moderated by Dr Sara Bice and joined by John Thwaites, Tony Wood and Sarah McNamara debated the Review’s recommendations for a regulated Basic Service Offer and related issues.
11 September 2017
Next Generation: the long-term future of the National Electricity Market
A conversation with Energy Fellow, David Blowers. Australia’s electricity system is under pressure like never before. Work should start immediately on a new ‘capacity mechanism’ in case it is needed to ensure reliable supplies in future.
31 July 2017
Australia’s Post-Finkel Energy Future
An interview with Grattan Institute Associate, Kate Griffiths. Following the release of the Finkel review into the security of the National Electricity Market, the COAG Energy Council of state and federal Energy Ministers came together last Friday 14 July to discuss the review’s recommendations. What did COAG agree, what’s missing and what are the next steps?
5 July 2017
Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s Review of the Security of the National Electricity Market – Sydney
Event Podcast: This Forward Thinking event followed the release of the Final Report of the Finkel Review. Dr Finkel and a panel of experts discussed how Australia can respond to challenges that our electricity system faces