Australian energy policy decisions in the wake of the 2022 energy crisis
File version
Version of Record (VoR)
Author(s)
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract
Large economies are trying to shift their energy procurement from fossil dependence to renewable sources. In 2022 global commodity markets saw rapid price increases due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent economic barriers on Russian commodity exports. Australia was not immune to these commodity price rises. Throughout the last decade Australia has become increasingly exposed to global energy prices through its commodity exports of LNG and thermal coal. Over this same decade Australia also experienced energy and climate policy discontinuity, and therefore policy uncertainty. These factors combined with a continued reliance on aging thermal plant resulted in a perfect storm of events which saw Australian electricity and gas prices reach all-time highs across the east-coast. The outcome resulted in long-term government intervention in markets to stabilise prices. This article will argue domestic factors helped fuel record high electricity and gas prices but have since subsided or are in the process of being mitigated. As a result, policymakers should reconsider how interaction occurs with electricity and gas markets to stabilise prices. Another decade of energy and climate policy discontinuity would not be a helpful development for the desired energy transition. A survey of market participants exemplifies concern that this outcome is materialising.
Journal Title
Economic Analysis and Policy
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
81
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2023 Economic Society of Australia, Queensland. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Applied economics
Econometrics
Economic theory
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Flottmann, J, Australian energy policy decisions in the wake of the 2022 energy crisis, Economic Analysis and Policy, 2024, 81, pp. 238-248