The Clean Energy Council penned a letter to state and federal Energy Ministers calling for energy market reforms for renewable energy and battery storage.
Ahead of the COAG Energy Council, the Clean Energy Council has written to Energy Ministers with a detailed plan to address barriers that are slowing the transition to a cleaner energy system.
Their plan wants to make renewable energy and storage a priority and use best practice approaches to connecting new renewable energy projects to the electricity grid.
The letter said that there are a range of barriers that distort the energy market, resulting in delays to entry of new technologies that will “empower consumers, deliver greater competition and lower energy sector emissions”.
The letter said that given the ongoing cost reductions of renewable energy and battery storage, the pace of technology change will only continue to accelerate across Australia.
The Council said it is apparent that policymakers, regulators and market operators take a more strategic approach to prepare for future electricity system needs.
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, said progress on energy market reform had lagged behind the rapid advancement in new technologies.
The letter states measures that the COAG Energy Council believe should be put into place.
These measures include overcoming conflict between institutions and ensuring that the National Energy Objectives recognise the importance of climate change policy and renewable energy commitments.
The COAG Energy Council say a strategic approach to South Australia’s transitioning electricity sector is needed with reforms that can facilitate technology changes and increased renewable energy deployments, while ensuring reliability and at lowest cost.
The letter also says that government needs to ensure tariff reform occurs that encourages innovation and consumer investment in new technology.
The COAG Energy Council also want to work with industry to ensure a regulatory framework for energy storage technologies is created that ensures integrity and safety of battery storage installations and prevents discrimination.