BREE 'did U-turn' on solar power

16th Aug 2012

The Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE) may have been left with egg on its face after previously predicting a bit part for solar power in the future of Australian energy – but one campaigner has commended the organisation for setting it right with its most recent report.

Andrew Bray, communications director at 100% Renewables, highlighted a white paper BREE published last year that pointed to a "rosy future" for fossil fuels, while hardly mentioning clean energy at all.

However, BREE has done somewhat of a U-turn with the Australian Energy Technology Assessment (AETA) paper it released last month, which showed solar power is going to be among the cheapest electricity generating sources by the mid-2030s.

"[BREE's] message has been simple – when you want real energy, dig it out of the ground," Andrew stated. "But recently it did something no one had ever imagined. It covered its latest report, the AETA, not with pictures of massive coal loaders but with pictures of solar panels."

When it was released, Professor Quentin Grafton – BREE's executive director among other roles – said the figures showed Australia's energy markets are in for an interesting few years.

In fact, he described the differences as "profound", particularly on electricity markets and carbon targets.

And for Mr Bray, these revelations are enough to turn the whole industry on its head.

In the past, it was the popularity and sustainability factors of renewables that were often highlighted as positives, he explained, but now people are beginning to realise that they can be cheap as well.

So how cost-effective can solar power be? Well, according to experts, it could cost as little as $50/MWh by the mid-2030s – and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Because Andrew claims that industry specialists are already complaining that their price estimations for solar power are being ignored in favour of higher figures for the same technology.

According to him, within a mere eight years the cheapest solar power plants will be half the price of the least expensive gas facilities.

"These projections turn energy thinking in Australia on its head and show that the longer we delay a transition to renewable energy, the more it will cost us," he added.

Andrew has put his backing behind increasing the Renewable Energy Target, which currently aims to have 20 per cent of Australia's power generated through sustainable sources by 2020.

Posted by Mike Peacock

All solar power news categories

Government Rebate & Regulations
Solar Power & Technology


More Solar Power & Technology

Australia to be a part of huge Asian renewable energy growth
SunPower steps up to make solar more affordable
Canberra makes strides toward carbon neutrality
GTM puts solar's massive growth in perspective
Examining Australia's falling solar PV rooftop prices
Australia's shift toward renewable energy picks up the pace
Australia shines at solar decathlon
University of Queensland tapped as lead researcher on massive solar project
100 per cent renewable energy is possible in 10 years, environmental group says
Climate Commission releases report on solar progress
Aussie government actually shows spine for solar power
Be gone, skeptics: One million solar installations and counting
Australia embarks on its greatest solar journey ever
Australia looks to solar thermal for commercial success
Solar power helps King Island reach 100% sustainability
Australians 'heavy supporters of solar power'
Mildura solar plant officially unveiled
Solar power trumps other renewables in Australian minds
Sunshine Coast solar farm "fantastic initiative"
Sunshine Coast cashes in on namesake with solar plans
Energy storage 'could maximise solar power utility'
Solar powered family car - a world first?
Code of conduct for solar installers in the works
'Stop punishing households' for solar PV
Australian solar companies 'adjusting well'
Australian mining 'next solar frontier'
"Rooftop revolution" underway across Australia
Global PV market emerging from sluggish period
Royalla solar farm receives final approval
Leadership challenge a "debacle" for Australian solar power
Solar power giving global renewables a helping hand
Australia's largest CPV solar power plant up and running
Renewable energy misinformation "staggering"
CEC: Don't underestimate consumer desire for solar
Setting energy efficient examples on TV
Solar PV brightening up household bills
World's largest solar powered boat on the move
Climate change is heating up
The global solar power shift
New solar tech win for NSW
Industry orgs praise City of Sydney solar efforts
Clean Energy Council supports Regional Renewables scheme
Asian nations emerging as PV leaders
Solar PV demand continues to grow
Regional areas of Australia to receive more renewables
Australia's significant renewable energy growth
Solar panel reprieve for Queensland
New funding for solar research
Find love with sustainable speed dating
New Victorian solar power deal
 To get your quotes, please enter your postcode: