Opinion & Analysis

A recurring theme from investors and developers is the significant and increasing time it takes to secure Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act approvals for renewable energy projects in Australia.

In preparation for the upcoming publication of the 2024 Electricity Statement of Opportunities, Dan Lee has examined the past 20 editions and shares some thoughts about what has and hasn’t changed over the years.

Wholesale prices in the New Zealand electricity market have soared over recent weeks, climbing as high as $910 (NZD 1,000) per MWh. North Island pulp and paper plants have temporarily closed down because of the spike in costs.

Since the 1990s, the economic agenda of governments across much of the world has been dominated by the Washington Consensus. This is a series of policy recommendations centred on privatisation of state businesses, deregulation of industries, liberalisation of trade, and opening economies to foreign direct investment.

Indonesia has all the solar energy and pumped-hydro energy storage potential required to become a solar giant by mid-century. On current trends, Indonesia will be the fourth largest producer of solar energy by 2050.

Australia’s 2030 clean energy targets are drawing ever closer, but based on recent modelling, we’re losing grasp of our 82% renewables goal. With this target less than six years away, the industry remains fixated on debating the pros and cons of high-profile renewable projects. These debates however distract from the energy industry’s most pressing issue.

Energy generation is undergoing a revolution, our consumption patterns however remain unchanged. With electricity distributed 24/7 across our vast country, the need for a constant, reliable energy supply has never been more critical.

We know cost-of-living pressures force us to make decisions about the very short-term. Questions such as “how am I going to get dinner?” or “how am I going to pay my next bill”? takes precedence over the luxury of long-term strategic planning and investment.

As the world confronts the climate crisis, Australia is grappling with reaching its decarbonisation targets while maintaining a productive and growing economy. At the same time, philanthropists are trying to understand their role in the transition and how they can support causes that will help rapidly reduce emissions.

In a new monthly column for pv magazine, the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) explains why potential trade disruptions in the global PV supply chain are substantially different from those related to coal, oil and gas.