The most urgent challenge facing the National Electricity Market (NEM) as it transitions to clean energy is not technological but regulatory; keeping coal power stations going for the minimum time required as new clean energy and system services supply is built. The Options Paper provides Australian governments with the missing pieces of this coal retirement

Welcome to the February- April 2021 bumper issue of the NEEA Report, presenting electricity-related data updated to the end of March 2021, data on gas consumption to the end of February, and petroleum product consumption to the end of January. Details on data sources and methods are included in the appendix. Key Findings: Between February

Australia’s electricity industry constitutes a large and critical component of our national economic infrastructure. The industry produces $25 billion per year in value- added. It employs around 50,000 Australians, paying out $6 billion per year in wages and salaries. It makes $45 billion in annual purchases from a diverse and far-reaching supply chain, that provides

This report has been prepared by the Victoria Energy Policy Centre (VEPC) for the Australia Institute to provide advice to the Energy Security Board’s Post-2025 redesign of the National Electricity Market (NEM). The terms of reference require us to examine the arrangements for the provision of inertia and system strength in the NEM. Inertia refers

Batteries and renewable energy can provide inertia and system strength in the National Electricity Market as coal is retired. The Post-2025 redesign is the opportunity to enable the energy transition with a fit-for-purpose security regime. This discussion paper summarises a technical study written by leading energy economist Professor Bruce Mountain and battery expert Dr Steven

Welcome to the January 2021 issue of the NEEA Report, with data relating to electricity in the National Electricity Market updated to the end of November 2020. This includes a short summary of the very important investment initiatives in New South Wales, announced by Minister Matt Kean at the end of November. This issue also

Welcome to the November 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, presenting electricity related data updated to the end of October 2020 and data on petroleum fuels and gas consumption to the end of August. Details on data sources and methods are included in the appendix.

Submission made to the Energy Security Board’s proposed framework for the planning of renewable energy zones (REZ) within state jurisdictions in the National Electricity Market (NEM). This form part an ongoing research project titled Rural Communities and Renewable Energy: A Socio-economic Study in NSW, conducted by thte University of Sydney Environment Institute, Australian National University and the

COAG Energy Council consulted on a proposed new national regulation that would mandate air conditioning and other consumer devices to have ‘smart’ demand response capabilities. This requirement would only apply to new appliances. The Australia Institute made a submission arguing that the economic modelling in the Regulatory Impact Statement justified making the decision as it

We made an independent submission to the Australian Energy Market Commission on the second draft rule and draft determination for the Wholesale Demand Response rule change. We supported the Commission’s more preferable rule on the basis that it contains a considerable number of changes to the mechanism which increase the effectiveness of the reform. We

The Australian Energy Market Commission is considering a rule change that would allow distribution networks to charge households with solar PV for the energy they export. Our submission argues that it would be unfair to bring in a new system of charges to cover the supposed costs of DER before DER can also earn fair

This submission presents preliminary findings from a research project titled Rural Communities and Renewable Energy: A Socio-economic Study in NSW, conducted by The Australia Institute and University of Sydney Environment Institute. The key preliminary finding is that the lack of a national process for local engagement and planning of energy infrastructure reduces the benefits of

Welcome to the June 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, with data relating to electricity and gas updated to the end of May2020, and data related to petroleum fuels to the end of April. Data presented includes greenhouse gas emissions arising from: the generation of electricity in the National Electricity Market (NEM), the consumption of natural

Welcome to the May 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, with most data updated to the end of April 2020, and some data for May. Data presented includes greenhouse gas emissions arising from: the generation of electricity in the National Electricity Market (NEM), the consumption of natural gas in eastern Australia (the area covered by

A submission to the ‘Delayed implementation of five minute and global settlement’ rule change, which seeks to delay the implementation of five minute settlement (5MS) and global settlement (GS) by12 months, from July 2021 to July 2022.

Coal generators are pushing to delay important reforms that would make the National ElectricityMarket more reliable and efficient and help lower emissions. Speeding up NEM reform will help drive economic recovery, not delay it.

Welcome to the April 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, with data updated to the end of March2020. Data presented includes greenhouse gas emissions arising from: the generation of electricity in the National Electricity Market (NEM), the consumption of natural gas in eastern Australia (the area covered by the NEM), and the consumption of petroleum

The Underwriting New Generation Investments Program has no legislative basis, no guidelines or criteria, and is following no clear process. Despite this the government has already shortlisted projects, made agreements and engaged in detailed negotiations.

Welcome to the March 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, with data updated to the end of February 2019. Data presented covers electricity demand, electricity supply, and electricity generation emissions in the National Electricity Market (NEM), plus electricity demand in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). The main trends in the mix of generation and

Welcome to the February 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, presenting electricity related data updated to the end of January 2020. Details on data sources and methods are included in the appendix. This issue then examines the emissions associated with extracting and processing coal and gas for export from Australia. Domestic emissions caused by Australia’s large coal

Victorian brown coal-fired power plants are some of the worst performing stations in the National Electricity Market. With hot and dry conditions forecast for the rest of this summer, Victoria is at risk of further breakdowns of aging coal generators, insufficient supply and blackouts.

Welcome to the January 2020 issue of the NEEA Report, updated to the end of October 2019, and for electricity to the end of December 2019 emissions. Details on data sources and methods are included in the appendix. This issue looks first at total energy combustion emissions to the end of October. Petroleum emissions have

The Commonwealth Government has made technology central to reducing emissions to 2030, but the Australian Renewable Energy Agency has only $200 million to allocate to new projects. With multi-party support for the Agency, legislation to extend its funding should be urgently passed.

Welcome to the December 2019 issue of the NEEA Electricity Update, with data updated to the end of November 2019. The Electricity Update presents data onelectricity demand, electricity supply, and electricity generation emissions in the National Electricity Market (NEM), plus electricity demand in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). Since the start of 2018 we

Welcome to the November 2019 issue of the NEEA Electricity Update, with data updated to the end of October 2019. The Electricity Update presents data on electricity demand, electricity supply, and electricity generation emissions in the National Electricity Market (NEM), plus electricity demand in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). Since the start of 2018