If our energy future is renewable, what does this mean for affordability, reliability, security?
Emily Wood | May 17, 2017
“Creating a reliable, secure and affordable energy system is integral for all Australian users and must be the focus in our energy market,” said Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Richards.
“We are pleased to see reports of the federal Renewable Energy Target (RET) is lkely to be met before 2020 but as technology costs have come down dramatically in the last year we have to ask, is the RET the best policy mechanism to pursue post 2020?”
The EUAA supports the current RET but it also acknowledges the cost impacts to consumers from the policy. The Federal Government’s review into the energy market, commonly known as the Finkel review, is due to be presented in the coming weeks and there are murmurs that it will contain a recommendation for some kind of policy proposal to price carbon in the energy sector.
“Setting a least cost option policy framework as part of a national strategy to ensure we meet our carbon reduction targets is our preferred approach and the government should consider its options before simply extending the RET,” said Mr Richards.
Renewable energy and emissions reductions will be a hot topic of discussion at the organisation’s National Conference on May 24-25 in Brisbane with cost, reliability, security and grid integration under the microscope across a number of sessions.
Speakers including Clean Energy Council CEO, Kane Thornton; Mr Lane Crockett, Head of Renewables at private investment firm Impact Investment Group; Deputy Director of the Federal Government Department of Environment and Energy, Helen Wilson, will join AEMO, CSIRO and TransGrid to dissect and discuss the future of our energy system along with the challenges and the opportunities that this will bring.
For further information visit euaa.com.au/events
