Tues June 9: Securing Energy Independence:
Australia’s response to an uncertain world
Right now we are experiencing how vital it is for Australia to have a resilient energy system.
Dr Monique Ryan MP and Tim Buckley outline a pathway forward towards greater energy independence for Australia. How does Australia pivot towards energy self-sufficiency in our transport, agricultural, manufacturing and mining industries and minimise our dependence on fragile fossil fuel supply chains?
Tim Buckley, Director Climate Energy Finance, is an expert in green energy finance, markets, and risk.
- China tech, manufacturing and exports is dominating the future of energy – Australia has many advantages and we need to catch up with this electric future – download Tim Buckley’s slideset here
- Event pics, expert links and quotes in our Facebook album here
- Download the Agenda here, plus informative links
- The Global Energy Transition with analyst Tim Buckley video highlights here
- Dr Monique Ryan MP in conversation with Tim Buckley video highlights here
Wind and solar power are lowest cost and will put downwards pressure on energy prices
Clean energy is fast to install and costs very little to run
- Community support for solar is very high.
- Low cost clean energy generation will transform manufacturing and exports.
- Large scale wind and solar, backed up by storage, can deliver 24/7 power generation and precisely shaped loads.
- Making our own energy increases resilience in the face of increasing geopolitical tensions and supply chain fragility
Australian made renewables increase our energy independence and resilience
Points to consider
Clean energy is the least cost option
CSIRO confirms that renewable power with storage is the most affordable form of generation
CSIRO’s definitive GenCost 2024/25 report found “renewables remain the lowest-cost new-build electricity generation technology”.
The Climate Council: “Energy from wind and solar is on average half the price of energy from coal and gas.”
Clean Energy Council: AEMO stated that “renewable energy supplied over half (51%) of all electricity in the NEM for the first time during Q4 2025”, and during January heatwaves “reached up to 77% of peak demand.”
The cost of renewable and storage is falling rapidly
The economics of large scale batteries continue to improve rapidly, leading to a “bonanza” with 4GW entering the system in the first half of 2024.
Australia is on track to add 7GW of wind and solar in 2024, around 4 nuclear power stations worth.
- Across the Asia Pacific region: “Renewable energy costs in 2023 were 13% cheaper than conventional coal and are expected to be 32% cheaper by 2030.”
- In most places in the world “power from new renewables is now cheaper than power from new fossil fuels”.
Solar and PV are very fast to build
Would you like to wait till 2040 for solar power? You don’t have to!
Large scale clean energy facilities beat nuclear construction times by a large margin.
In the recent GenGost report, CSIRO found that “it would take at least 15 years to build nuclear here.”
Large scale solar farms are getting bigger
Rio Tinto has just signed an off taker agreement with Australia’s largest solar farm to date, 1.1GW, near Gladstone which will take two years to build.
Storage makes sun and wind power available 24/7
Battery storage costs are dropping rapidly
Firmed clean energy has been the most affordable option for the last seven years according to CSIRO, with “overwhelming” demand for “new, low cost and low emissions power” according to Brookfield.
- A judicious mix of solar, wind and short and medium storage can deliver “shaped loads”, perfectly attuned to the needs of businesses and consumers, especially with improved data capacity.
- Hybrid solar farms are starting to offer “power well after sunset“.
- Battery storage can perform grid forming services, taking over from coal power in maintaining frequency and voltage in the grid.
More about grid forming services
Large scale battery farms can provide grid forming services through grid-forming inverter technology displacing the need for gas generator back up: “Large scale batteries can play a significant role in providing system stability services, particularly when fitted with advanced grid forming inverters.”
Clean energy cuts climate pollution
Clean energy is nearly emissions free
Once constructed, large scale solar, solar PV and wind power have no ongoing fuel costs and significantly reduce climate pollution.
Ember: “Wind and solar are the cheapest, the quickest to deploy and among the cleanest, least carbon-intensive power sources.”
Solar and wind pay back their manufacturing carbon rapidly
Wind and solar installations pay back the life-cycle energy requirements (energy used in manufacture, service and disposal) very rapidly.
Ember: “Wind and solar are among the least carbon-intensive electricity generation technologies”
Data from Vestas puts this energy payback period at 5-8 months for wind, 1-2 years for solar energy.
Victoria has ideal conditions for offshore wind
The Conversation: “Offshore wind projects can provide a win-win-win for Australia: creating jobs for displaced fossil fuel workers, replacing energy supplies lost when coal plants close, and helping Australia become a renewable energy superpower.”
Nuclear would delay our shift to clean energy
Nuclear is an expensive distraction
Australia has the world’s best natural resources in wind and sun. Renewable energy backed up with storage is the least expensive form of new energy.
- The nuclear proposal threatens investor confidence in renewables and would prolong the shift away from coal and gas
- Nuclear power is not appropriate for Australia
Clean energy attracts developer finance
The economics of clean energy are now very favourable, but need policy support
Superpower Institute – the opportunity: Australia is well placed to be a global leader in clean manufacturing and exports given our world-beating renewable resources, critical mineral wealth and strong industrial base.
Strong targets and clean energy policy provide certainty for investors, however the Coalition plans to slow down the clean energy rollout in Victoria with a return to Baillieu-era “default 2km buffer” zones and pro gas policies.
Nuclear doesn't stack up
- Commercial investors aren’t interested in nuclear because it doesn’t stack up financially
- The Smart Energy Council finds “building seven nuclear – reactors could cost “between $116-$600 billion of taxpayers’ dollars, whilst only providing 3.7% of Australia’s energy mix in 2050″
- Australia has no existing nuclear industry or expertise which would take time to develop
- Nuclear faces significant regulatory and statutory barriers which would take time to remove
Clean energy is safe and very popular
The community is sold on solar, and supports shifting to a grid powered by clean energy
Australian Government Energy Update 2024 – solar generation increase was highest on record in 2023, up by 20%
- Clean Energy Council: “The sheer scale and pace of rooftop solar is unparalleled anywhere in the world”
- Rooftop solar now supplies 11% of Australia’s electricity generation and reached 20GW in 2023.
- Australia now has over 3.9 million solar installations in 36% of Australian homes.
Solar PV increases household energy independence
Check out Solar Victoria’s comprehensive guide to planning your solar system, including sizing, usage patterns and getting expert trusted installers.
In Q4 2025 nine wind and solar projects and 1GW of batteries joined the grid
Clean energy puts downward pressure on household bills
Rooftop solar, going electric and cheaper wholesale prices help families and businesses.
Sun and wind power is abundant, displacing gas generation spikes where utilities clean up. Keeping power generation local increases our resilience and reduces cost of living pressures.
Instead of spending $60 bn on overseas oil we could support rapid electrification including targeted EV purchase subsidies and still come out ahead, with lowered energy costs, powering households and transport with the sun and wind: Rewiring Australia (pp. 4,16.).
Increased local and regional jobs
Powering Australia with the sun and wind, and going electric increases regional and local employment opportunities, and could massively boost exports
Superpower Institute: transitioning to clean energy and clean manufacturing could expand our exports by six to eight times.
Clean energy helps create a safer. more prosperous future
Every action taken today helps secure a safer future for our kids.
Clean energy is the least cost, fastest way to create energy – Renew Economy: increasing amounts of solar and wind “continue to push down spot prices on the electricity market and batteries continue to smooth price volatility”.
The shift to abundant, safe solar and wind power is unstoppable
A problem – our politicians are still approving new coal and gas
Even though Australia has world leading solar and wind resources, and massive potential for renewables-led exports, our government still is promoting gas expansion. Currently, including exports, Australia contributes a whopping 4.5% of global emissions, continuing to damage our climate.
- Accelerating climate action would set Australia up to be a clean energy superpower, transforming manufacturing and exports.
- Australia is vulnerable to increasing climate damage from fires, droughts and floods, according to the latest State of the Climate CSIRO report.
Moving to clean energy will lower costs, increase our resilience, and protect our future.
Further Information
Lighter Footprints information
Going electric and energy efficiency
- Entertaining short video on electrification with home energy expert Tim Forcey
- Home energy assessments – summary blog
- Insulation and draught proofing – informative video highlights
- Health benefits of getting off gas – Dr Genevieve Cowie video highlights
Energy
- We can do this! Richard Denniss, The Australia Institute, gives us a rousing call to move faster towards clean energy.
- Delaying renewables and expanding fossil exports – more details on nuclear and CCS here.
Authorised by Lighter Footprints Incorporated, Suite 220, Tenancy 111, 793 Burke Road, Camberwell, VIC 3124
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