PANEL: The Realities of Energy Transition | Stephen Wilson, Zoe Hilton, Blair Thomas, Aidan Morrison
Alliance for Responsible Citizenship 
Australia, like much of the Western world, has in recent years pledged to undergo ‘energy transition’ in pursuit of net-zero targets. The high profile support for the climate agenda has created pressure for countries to pursue these policies, while in many cases overlooking the drawbacks and complications involved.
This panel at ARC Australia saw experts in the energy markets discuss the places where these policies do more harm than good, and where they feel Australia’s outlook towards energy needs to move in future in order for energy to remain abundant and cheap.
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Stephen Wilson is an energy economist and a systems engineer.
An Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland, he is
author of a 2021 report on the future of nuclear energy in
Australia. He is a visiting fellow in energy security at the Institute
of Public Affairs. Before academia, he spent over 20 years in
consulting and in a major mining corporation.
Zoe Hilton is a Senior Policy Analyst at CIS, working in
the Energy Program. She co-authored the paper The six
fundamental flaws underpinning the energy transition and
has written for The Australian and The Spectator Australia.
She also contributes to the energy debate through YouTube
videos exploring energy policy and modelling.
Chris Uhlmann is an award-winning journalist and former
political editor for the ABC and Nine News. He spent 19 years
with the ABC in a range of roles on radio and TV and won
a Walkley Award for broadcast interviewing in 2008. Chris
has co-authored three works of political fiction and recently
authored a children’s book, The Useless Tune.
R. Blair Thomas is the Chairman and Chief Executive officer
of EIG, as well as Chairman of the Investment Committee and
Executive Committee. EIG is among the largest institutional
investors in energy and infrastructure globally. He also served
on the White House staff of President George H. W. Bush as
an advisor on energy and budget policy.
Aidan Morrison is the Director of Energy Research at the
Centre for Independent Studies (CIS). Aidan leads research into
Australian energy systems, focusing on the most economically
viable means to transition to a low-carbon economy,
incorporating full-system cost analysis and modelling.
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About The Author
How odd a forum funded by a shadowy right wing billionaire is anti green energy 😂
I disagree. They are anti-shadow policy. Give us the facts, then let us have an honest debate! They never said, 'no solar, no wind'. They said we need diversity and an honest debate.
It’s always interesting how groups like the IPA are on the side of those in the “family building phase” when it suits their ideological goals- in this case energy ideology. But when it comes to the greatest issue for those in this expensive life phase – housing – they are totally against reforms to support them. The IPA won’t stand a bar of removing government funded negative gearing and CGT discounts for the rich to build their wealth portfolios. This would move houses from investors to first home buyers but we can’t have that.
Clearly the IPA is in full support of the fossil fuel industry on energy policy and so it’s willing to use feigned support for young families as a lever to back its case.
Who set up the policy on our gas?
Oh right johnny howard the lnp.
What part of the IPCC report about the need to stop using coal and gas, do these guys not get? The thing which must NOT be mentioned is of course is the looming climate crisis and what it will cost Australia and the world. Not a single sentence was spoken in this ridiculous meeting of right wing think tankers and fossil fuel shills about WHY governments are making the transition to renewables and how this is the critical decade for reducing emissions. If we wait until the 2040s for the LNP’s proposed nuclear reactors, critical climate tipping points will be reached and passed.
A lot of problems with wind and solar, nuclear is the way. Nothing is paying off for solar and wind. Everything promissed X watts and delivers 15% of the promise.
So the government bans power sources you have in abundance. Mmmmm, conspiracy theories anyone? If not seems self destructive and just plain stupid.
BUT, it is green policy and saves the planet right… blah blah blah, while you have a huge natural land mass, untouched and you starve yourself. Lol.
This American who is telling the panel of the shock that went around the world when East Coast Australia starting talking about a domestic reservation policy is the classic multinational seeking their extreme profits from whoever they can rip off around the world. This is a classic case of Au giving away sovereign control of OUR resources and allowing itself to be exploited by multinational bullies like the rest of the global south.
Of course we should have domestic reservation. Buying back our own gas from countries we exported it to at exorbitant prices would be too much for even Monty Python to contemplate.
Gosh such an important topic and so hard to understand from a lay person's point of view.
What was said seemed to make sense and then the comments confuse . 🤷♀️
??? What is this BS? Everyone should know or research: We only need nuclear and fossil, all else is total bullyish crappy globalist nonsense. Didn´t listen 2 minutes, seemed like they hadn´t got their premises right.
All l see is Government failing us all. Government will force everyone to replace their cars to electric on top of these excessive electricity bills and increased taxes
The idea that renewables are remotely viable to supply reliable, cheap power to a modern society is the best example of mass brainwashing in history.
The evidence disproving claims that renewables are cheap and reliable is overwhelming. The science is clear. On every measure, from the first shovel in the ground, to the last bit of dirt put on top of the landfill both solar and wind end up in, solar and wind require magnitudes more mining, energy, land, connecting electrical cables.
In Australia, are now destroying world heritage listed tropical forests and prime agricultural land.
All in the name of 'saving the planet!'
As if a nation that produces about 1% of mankind's CO2 emissions can do anything meaningful in the first place!
And making the poor poorer. The "value" of a house has not changed, in that everyone still needs a house!
It's just that you need ten times more dollars to get one. That's more about buying power then a change in value!
Burn the coal you have instead of sending it to China. Coal is the cheapest energy. No need to worry about CO2 or running out of coal.
If i have to pay increasing power prices, can you confirm to me how many degrees Celsius and how much it will stop the seas from rising for my increasing contributions? How do we know if our efforts have been successful? We have targets on emissions but what are the actual targets in temperature drop or sea level reduction? 🤔🤷♂️🤣🤦♂️
How about the government taxing our resources properly, we are giving it away with little taxes to show for it.
They call it Robin Hood in reverse. I call it money laundering …
Thorium reactors????
The problem with Labor Party's renewables is, it is the ordinary Australians who are being slugged to pay for their unreasonable target. If one of the solutions is putting solar panels on homes – why in the world are the homeowners who did the right thing and placed solar panels on their roofs are going to be slugged with solar tax?
Did Chris Bowen get an invite?
The whole exercise is a study of subsides , ie stolen from tax payers " and that is not included in the plan " or at least notified to taxpayers . Sometime down the line the debt and it must be hidden somewhere will emerge .
Lotsa luck trying to get an aluminium smelter going.
A very informed discussion, i bet Bowen did not watch this.
This is not a debate. everyone on the panel is pushing the same anti renewable agenda. The host should be ashamed of himself
Our atmosphere and our earth needs more Co2. The only sensible option is to commission an energy supply that creates the most emissions of Co2. So obviously build a lot of new coal power stations asap,
If you care.