Pollies need energy sense
A TRANSITION to lower emissions and cheaper electricity is possible and it is time politicians started listening to businesses and consumers, a leading energy specialist says.
Gareth O’Reilly, managing director of Schneider Electric in Australia and New Zealand, was commenting on this week’s developments in Canberra where the Coalition Government has withdrawn emissions reduction from its signature energy policy and announced plans to intervene in the market to support coalfired power.
Speaking in Townsville after opening a new base for expansion in the region, Mr O’Reilly said the events were “contradictory” to a marketled approach.
“We believe in a transition to a more sustainable energy source,” he said.
“We do believe in reduc- tions of emissions for a cooler, better planet.
“It should be market- led and the ( National Energy Guarantee) is the mechanism that can determine that outcome.”
Mr O’Reilly heads the Pacific division of the Frenchowned global specialist in energy management and automation.
He said they understood a balance between affordability, reliability and sustainability was needed.
This did not, however, mean a market- led approach to baseload power migration and managing the different energy flows was not possible.
“These things are possible today,” Mr O’Reilly said.
“We can get to our Paris commitments. We can get to cheaper energy.
“My message to Canberra is industry is asking for certainty, all the utility operators are asking for certainty, investors are asking for certainty, customers are asking for certainty. I just think people need to listen and get on with it.”
Mr O’Reilly said he was more concerned about the impact of the Government’s moves on his customers than his company.
He said they had just helped BlueScope Steel negotiate a power purchase agreement for sourcing 20 per cent of their energy needs from solar power.
“Companies like BlueScope Steel are making a stand on this. It seems strange that policy is not following suit,” Mr O’Reilly said.
Mr O’Reilly said many customers were already making decisions about distributed energy and demand response capability that allowed them to participate in the market.
“More can happen if the NEG gets across the line,” Mr O’Reilly said.