1. The Role of Renewables in
the Australian Power
Industry: Past, Present and
Future
Joanne Patroni

2. Australia: Key Country data
 Population 22 million
 GDP (PPP) per capita $US 40,234 (2011), ranked 14th
 Predicted to be the best performing economy in the world
over the next two years (IMF, April 2012)
 Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and
east; tropical in north
 Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in
southeast
 Environmental issues:
 soil salinity and poor farming practices
 soil erosion from overgrazing, desertification
 limited natural freshwater resources
 urbanization
Source: CIA World Fact Book

3. Area and Population Distribution

4. Demonstrated Resources

5. Economy heavily reliant on exports
Source: DFAT SUMMARY OF AUSTRALIA'S TRADE 2012

6. Australian
Renewable Energy
1. Past
2. Present
3. Future

7. History of Renewable Energy in Australia

8. Past contribution of Renewable Energy
Source: OECD/ international energy agency, 2011
Source: UNDP Country Statistical Profile

9. Australian
Renewable Energy
1. Past
2. Present
3. Future

10. Renewables in the power supply chain

11. Percentage of electricity generation from
renewables by energy source (2010)
Source: Clean Energy Council: Clean Energy Australia 2010

12. Distribution of current Australian Renewable
generation plants
Source: Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and
Tourism 2008 report

13. Government Policies in place to
stimulate demand for renewable
energy
Adoption of Kyoto Protocol
 Commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% of 2000 levels by 2050
National Greenhouse Accounts
 System for tracking emissions reductions
 Self-imposed target of 108% of 1990 levels over the period 2008-2012
Mandatory Renewable Energy Target
 Target of 20% of all consumption by 2020 (9500GwH by 2010, 45000 GwH by 2020)
 Establishment of Office Renewable Energy Regulator to ensure compliance
Photovoltaic Rebate Program
 Grants of $4 per watt installed
 5.7MW installed since 2000
Solar Cities
 $75M public-private pilot project to demonstrate effectiveness of solar-based energy
solutions in urban areas
Carbon Pricing
 legislation to price carbon of Dec 2011
 tax at $23/tonne/year carbon dioxide emission due in July 2012.
Source: Australian Government. Department of Climate Change. International
Energy Agency – Global Renewable Energy Policy and Measures Database.

14. Private sector Marketing + Gov policies
creating household demand

15. Australian
Renewable Energy
1. Past
2. Present
3. Future

16. Local Opinion on the future of
renewables
“Australia must substantially and relatively quickly change the nature of its electricity supply. The
Commonwealth’s goal is to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 2000 levels
by 2050. Much of this reduction will need to come from changes in electricity production, while
keeping energy secure and affordable for Australians.”
GRATTAN Institute, 2012
“As a nation better endowed with renewable energy resources than most, and at the same time the
OECD’s biggest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases, it behoves Australia to act promptly, and perhaps
lead the world to a zero emissions economy based on renewable energy.”
General Peter Gration, AC, OB E, FT SE
Former Australian Chief of Defence

17. Current Investment toward future capacity
Source: Who’s winning the clean energy race? 2011

18. Potential for Renewable investment
Source: Australian Academy of Science 2009

19. Which way to Australia’s Energy
future?
 Wind  Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
 Solar PV  Nuclear
 Concentrating Solar Power  Bioenergy
 Geothermal
…All face obstacles to achieving their full potential.
Source: OECD Working Paper

20. Cost as a barrier
Total Capital Cost ($/kW) for a range of alternative energy technologies in the US in the
period 1995-2020(estimated)
Solar PV
*not considering Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) $85/tCO2e
Concentrated Solar
Geothermal Hot Rock
Biomass
Geothermal other
Wind
Source: U.S. EIA (2010)

21. Contribution of renewables in Australia’s
future electricity mix
Source: CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship, 2009

22. Conclusion
 Country with high renewable potential and positive economic
outlook
 No significant increase in renewables (as proportion) in last
10 years
 Current investment mostly in Solar PV
Recommendations
 Increase Federal funding for R&D to establish commercial
viability and reliability
 Focus future investment in geothermal, biomass and wind
 carbon sequestration cheapest energy source coal would
become "cleaner"