Australia could be 'world leader' in energy storage despite public skepticism

About 1.8 million Australians with rooftop solar could lower their bills and take control of their electricity supply by storing their own energy, but many fear a repeat of the failed home insulation scheme, a report has found.

Energy storage can help cope with fluctuations in
production from variable renewable sources such as wind farms.

The research, co-funded by the office of Chief Scientist Alan Finkel, found Australia could be a world leader in developing and exporting energy storage. However, this was being held back by a lack of effective planning, investment and incentives – partly driven by poor public knowledge of the technologies.

The report, produced by the Australian Council of Learned Academics, warned that unless storage played a greater role in the energy system, electricity costs would continue to rise and supply would become less reliable, which could severely hurt the Australian economy.

The research explored the potential of energy storage, such as home and large-scale batteries, pumped hydro and lesser-known technologies such as molten salt, compressed air and renewable hydrogen.

Read Nicole Hasham’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Australia could be 'world leader' in energy storage despite public skepticism.”

Australian household electricity prices may be 25% higher than official report

The International Energy Agency (IEA) may be underestimating Australian household energy bills by 25% because of a lack of accurate data from the federal government.

Power price pain is worse than we thought. 

The Paris-based IEA produces official quarterly energy statistics for the 30 member nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), on which policymakers and researchers rely heavily. But to provide this service, the IEA relies on member countries to provide it with good-quality data.

Last month, the agency published its annual summary report, Key World Statistics, which reported that Australian households have the 11th most expensive electricity prices in the OECD.

Read the piece by the Director, Carbon and Energy Markets at the Victoria University, Bruce Mountain, on The Conversation - “Australian household electricity prices may be 25% higher than official report.”