EPRA Inquiry

On the 16th of September Senator Van with the help from the government and crossbench launched a senate inquiry into energy planning and regulation in Australia. The main aim of this inquiry is to bring some transparency and accountability into how the energy system is planned and how it goes about decarbonising our grid as quickly as possible.

“The governments legislated policy to reach a 43% reduction in emissions on 2005 levels by 2030 and the 82% national renewable target are fairly ambitious targets and ones that require deep structural changes to our energy system. These changes however don’t seem to be getting the public or government scrutiny they deserve”, Senator Van said.

“My goal for this inquiry is to be technology agnostic so we can assess if the current path being taken by the energy planners, operators and regulators is data driven and the most efficient and cost-effective path for Australia to take.

“Emissions from electricity generation make up nearly one-third of Australia's overall emissions. So, getting this transition right is of utmost importance”

“However, currently the projects being actioned seem to be predetermined, with an over reliance on transmission being the silver bullet to help us reach a zero-emission electricity system”.

“My hope is that this inquiry will make our energy system less opaque so we can ensure consumers get the best possible deal as we transition to an energy network of renewables. As an independent Senator for Victoria, I believe it's my responsibility to protect Australians from companies that prioritise their shareholders over stakeholders”.

The inquiry will be accepting submissions from the 18th of October with hearings taking place later in the year.