Australia Energy Dashboard

Grid Summary

As of 2004, Australia had 48.6 gigawatts (GW) of installed electric generating capacity. Approximately 75 percent of electricity produced in Australia is from coal with around 55 percent coming from black coal. In 2004, Australia generated around 225.3 billion kilowatthours (Bkwh) of electricity. After accounting for the electricity used by the power plants and other losses, Australia consumed 209.5 Bkwh in 2004. In August 2006, French-based Alstom completed the design, supply, construction and commissioning of the Braemar power station. The natural gas-fired Braemar project has a 450 MW capacity and will provide power to Queensland. NewGen Power, an independent power producer (IPP) that is owned by Babcock and Brown, ERM Power will operate the power facility. The Queensland government has required that 13 percent of electricity sold in-state must come from electricity generated by natural gas. In addition to Braemar, Alstom is currently constructing the 320-MW Kwinana power project in Western Australia and the 400-MW Tallawarra power project in New South Wales.As of 2004, Australia generated 2.5 Bkwh of electricity from renewable sources. Australia’s Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) is set at 9.5 Bkwh of total electricity generation. By 2010, Australia hopes to attain the MRET. Currently, there are numerous investments being made in the renewable energy sector across Australia. The three most prominent companies investing in renewable energy include Babcock and Brown Wind Partners, AGL and Pacific Hydro. alone…more information.

In 2001 the Australian Government introduced a Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) scheme The scheme aims to increase the uptake of renewable energy in Australia's electricity supply. In 2007 the Government committed to ensuring that 20 per cent of Australia's electricity supply comes from renewable energy sources by 2020. To deliver on this commitment, the Government is working in cooperation with the states and territories through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), to implement an expanded national Renewable Energy Target (RET) that will bring the MRET and existing and proposed state and territory targets into a single national RET scheme. In July 2008, to inform design of the RET scheme, the COAG Working Group on Climate Change and Water released a consultation paper on the key design issues. Exposure draft legislation on the design of the Renewable Energy Target scheme was released for public comment. This exposure draft legislation reflects the design being considered by the COAG Working Group Climate Change and Water...more information.