In case you hadn’t noticed, Parliament has resumed for 2018. And unfortunately, the silliness and gradual erosion of public confidence in our politicians has continued after a messy 2017.
To make matters worse, it’s an election year in many parts of the country. While this presents an opportunity for the Clean Energy Council to leverage our strong voter support and make policy progress, it is also a time renowned for its bickering and buffoonery.
Tasmania will be the first state to go to the polls on 3 March, followed by South Australia two weeks later and then Victoria in November.
The South Australian election is particularly important from a renewable energy perspective given the high profile of energy policy in the state and the strong leadership of the current government.
Energy storage has already been a key battleground in the South Australian election campaign, with both major parties announcing extensive policies to subsidise battery storage for South Australian households.
While Nick Xenophon’s SA Best party is yet to release its energy policy, the signs are extremely positive that household battery storage will play a significant role in South Australia’s future energy mix regardless of the election result.
The current enthusiasm for both large and small batteries in South Australia is highlighted by the Clean Energy Council’s Australian Energy Storage Leadership Series, which is being held in Adelaide today.
The event features some of the leading political figures in South Australia, including the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, the Shadow Minister for Energy and Mining and representatives from SA Best and the Greens.
When these speakers are added to an industry panel featuring senior executives from major battery storage and grid transformation companies such as Sonnen, Neoen, Redback Energy and Greensync, it is plain to see that there is considerable momentum behind battery storage in the state.
To help the government and industry capitalise on this momentum, the Clean Energy Council has made a number of recommendations that we believe will further promote the uptake of battery storage in South Australia. These recommendations provide a pathway for future governments and the storage industry to make batteries a key part of South Australia’s energy future.
