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Articles by Nicky Ison
Lack of renewable investment a missed opportunity
As the world acts on climate change and transitions to renewable energy, Australia has a once-in-a-century opportunity. Rich in renewable resources, we are in pole position to become a renewable energy superpower. But based on Tuesday’s federal budget, when compared to the investment other countries are making, we risk being left behind.
Blowing in the wind: Have we missed our chance to become a renewables superpower?
Just imagine what we could achieve as a nation if our federal government stepped up and led from the front on green energy.
International Women’s Day 2020: Renewables, a pathway to equality?
by Nicky Ison - WWF-Australia Energy Transition Manager Every year as International Women’s Day approaches my mind turns to the women who have helped shape my life and my work as a climate and clean energy advocate. I think about the women who I work alongside, women I admire from afar and women who I will never know, who for hundreds of years fought for the rights of women, and made it possible for me to do the work that I find so fulfilling.
a decent menu, but missing the main course
The federal Labor Party this week released the details of its keenly awaited climate policy package. With a commitment to cutting climate pollution by 45% on 2005 levels by 2030, compared with the Coalition’s 26-28% target, there was never a doubt that Labor’s policy agenda was going to be more ambitious than the government’s.
It's time Australia got serious about shift to 100% renewables
On Friday last week, more than 100,000 young people took to the streets across Australia striking for climate action. They were joined by 1.3 million others across the world in the biggest day of civil disobedience on climate change ever. In the wake of this leadership, it is beholden on adults who care about climate to ask two questions: What can I do to support young people to continue to assert their moral authority on the need to act on climate?
It's time for Australia's renewables industry to go all in
Large-scale technology transitions are often a messy affair, especially when there is a powerful, established incumbent being challenged. At some point the incumbent understands the threat and use every tool at their disposal, usually money, political influence and media, to maintain the status quo. Successful disruptors are prepared for the battle and aggressively make use of their strongest weapons, which are often social license and public desire for the new technology.
It's time for the renewables industry to go all in
Large-scale technology transitions are often a messy affair, especially when there is a powerful, established incumbent being challenged. At some point the incumbent understands the threat and use every tool at their disposal, usually money, political influence and media, to maintain the status quo. Successful disruptors are prepared for the battle and aggressively make use of their strongest weapons, which are often social license and public desire for the new technology.
It's time to grow up on climate and energy
Skip to navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer IN 2019, the current NSW government turns eight and, just like an errant child, it’s behaviour on climate and energy policy has been akin to sitting up the back of the class, either too scared or too lazy to put up its hand. After eight years, the NSW government has announced its first clean energy policy of any significant scale. If re-elected the NSW Coalition will provide 300,000 households with zero-interest loans to install solar and batteries.
Is Australia still on the Solar-coaster?
Australia’s renewable history is far from smooth, it’s been a bumpy ride, with ups and downs and even the occasional loop the loop. We’ve seen booms like 2005-6 when the wind industry in South Australia was going gangbusters, and in 2011 when the rooftop solar industry was really taking off and now in 2018-19 when wind farms, large-scale and rooftop solar are all being installed in record numbers.
Five things the Business Council can do if it really 'supports action on climate'
Scroll to top Email address or username Remember me The BCA says it wants "a workable plan for Australia”, but it's just shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott. As Australia swelters through one of the most extreme heatwaves on record, the CEO of the Business Council of Australia (BCA), Jennifer Westacott, has come out to defend the council's position on climate change. This is a regrettable decision.
A government refusing to act on climate change is a government not fit to lead
Some political parties are simply unfit to govern. The federal Liberals' refusal to address climate change disqualifies them from the being serious policymakers. Watching the unfortunate Dave Sharma's attempt to evade the question of whether he accepts the existence of climate change, and his peculiar claim that the government is "doing enough" and "has a good record" on climate action, is to understand the grim reality for people who believe in the laws of physics within the Liberal Party.
Crikey readers debate the effectiveness of an independent body to solve climate change.
Crikey readers debate the effectiveness of a hypothetical independent body to solve climate change. Over the weekend, Crikey readers had their say about Bernard Keane’s call for an independent body that regulates climate change policy removed from political interference or the interests of business.
IPCC report: can Australia kick its coal habit by 2040?
The IPCC report on climate change says we need to get out of coal by 2040. It's a stark proposition for the political class, but can we do it? Absolutely. This week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) sent a shock-wave around the world when it released its special report into 1.5 °C of global warming.
Has Germany Proven That Auction Schemes Can Work For Community Energy?
Germany is one of the pioneering countries for citizen-owned energy — which refers to communities who set up and operate wind turbines, bioenergy, or solar PV projects. One reason for this success story was the instauration of the feed-in tariff policy for renewable energy. Yet, three years ago the German Government decided to move to a reverse auction approach to foster efficiency.
ESB's NEG modelling divorced from renewable energy reality
Yesterday's NEG modelling is a myth and has purely been written to try and get the pro-coal lobby on board. If you believe the Energy Security Board (ESB) and Acil Allen’s new modelling released yesterday on the National Energy Guarantee (NEG), you are believing in a fairytale. This modelling suggests that in a time of unprecedented disruption and technological change in global energy markets, Australia’s electricity system will basically stand still for eight years from 2021/2022-2030.
five steps forward, two steps back : RenewEconomy
The State Government’s energy security target could increase South Australia’s electricity prices while providing an incentive for power companies to pump out more carbon emissions, writes Nicky Ison. When it comes to energy it feels like things are moving at lightning speed, and nowhere more so than in South Australia. This state is fast becoming a global leader in the race to renewables. However, when it comes to State Government energy policy it’s a case of five steps forward, two steps back.
Malcolm Roberts refuses to show proof of citizenship, ScoMo backs coal
One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts is refusing to show proof he isn't a British citizen, Matt Canavan might be in the clear, and ScoMo backs coal. WHERE'S THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SOVEREIGN CITIZEN?
Why every Australian town should have its own wind or solar farm
One Step Off The Grid Imagine every town in Australia running off its own renewable energy projects, every farm has solar and is part of a wind, solar or bioenergy cooperative and every new suburb has its own microgrid so neighbours can share one another’s power. It’s not that hard to envisage, right? That’s because people across Australia are already working to make it a reality. And it’s a reality that comes with a bunch of benefits.
Why we need an 'energy Landcare' to tackle rising power prices
Rising electricity prices have become a fact of life in Australia – and are likely to be so for a few years to come. However, while the cost of generating electricity will rise as cheap but ageing coal power stations go offline, that doesn’t mean your electricity bills need to follow suit. Households and businesses can take greater control of their energy future and slash their power bills in a range of cost-effective ways. Solar panels and battery storage are among the most obvious strategies.
Crisis of trust - energy businesses turn to local partnerships
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Anyone working in the clean energy sector back in 2013 saw the so-called “carbon tax” for what it was – a cynical political play. Last week former prime ministerial chief of staff to Tony Abbott Peta Credlin admitted as much in an interview: that the electorate was fooled and lied to about energy.
Australian Renewable Energy Agency saved but with reduced funding - experts react
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has been granted a funding lifeline of A$800 million over the next five years, after the federal government and opposition came to an agreement that will save the agency. ARENA had faced being wound down as a result of the government’s earlier proposal to strip A$1.3 billion from the agency. This was part of a wider package of measures designed to save the federal budget more than A$6 billion.
Cutting ARENA would devastate clean energy research
This week’s first sitting of the 45th Parliament of Australia is considering a A$6.5 billion “omnibus savings bill”, including a proposed cut of A$1.3 billion to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). If adopted, it would effectively mean the end of ARENA and would devastate clean energy research in Australia.
Cutting ARENA would devastate clean energy research
This week’s first sitting of the 45th Parliament of Australia is considering a A$6.5 billion “omnibus savings bill”, including a proposed cut of A$1.3 billion to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). If adopted, it would effectively mean the end of ARENA and would devastate clean energy research in Australia.
The electricity market's not doing a great job
The past three weeks have seen considerable discussion of Australia’s wholesale electricity market, driven largely by severe price spikes in South Australia. Hugh Saddler, writing last week on The Conversation, and the Climate Council, in a report released yesterday, have each done a good job of busting the myth that this is all because of SA’s relatively large share of wind energy.
Communities are taking renewable power into their own hands
Australia, like much of the rest of the world, is in the midst of an energy transition. With falling electricity demand and the uptake of household solar panels in just under 1.4 million homes, the most important question is not whether this transition is happening, but how we manage it to maximise the benefit to all Australians. Community energy is one of the answers. Community energy projects are those in which a community comes together to develop, deliver and benefit from sustainable energy.
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