Mandating Market Access for Renewable Energies in Australia

Abstract

The effective operation of competition would ensure that new, cleaner technologies are developed, made commercially viable and given access to the market, giving consumers the choice to decrease their eco-footprint. However, competition is not a perfect regulator, particularly in circumstances where dominant former-monopolies are incumbent. As such, regulation is required to secure initial market feasibility for renewable energies. Although Australian legislation does not comprehensively or consistently mandate renewable energy access, the myriad policy measures, in particular the government’s provision of short-term financial incentives under various programmes, provide enough support for renewable energies to gain initial viability in the electricity market.

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Notes on contributors

Alexandra L Carleton

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Alexandra L Carleton BSc, LLB (Hons) (Macq), LLM (Syd). The author can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected].