Lets talk energy

The climate change and energy policy debate has consumed news headlines in recent weeks and we can expect it will continue to do so in coming weeks. Bushfires have taken a shocking toll on the nation and we can only hope this year’s bushfire season does not continue on its current trajectory. 

With summer temperatures upon us, there’s an urgent demand for tailored, scalable and reliable power Australians can depend on.

Energy policy is as complex as it is critical to our futures, and policy makers and industry leaders alike continue to grapple with the holy trinity of issues with local power resources — cost, reliability and regulation.

Australian energy prices have risen 50% in the past decade and despite settling in the past year, are still among the most expensive in the world. Ongoing political debate around energy policy has meant efforts to curb costs and reduce carbon emissions have been muddled and every year brings disastrous and inconvenient blackouts and brownouts to parts of the country.

Although more regulation is not necessarily the answer, industry would be well supported by ‘a whole of government’ structured response that creates a clear pathway forward with a view for the long term.

That pathway needs to keep renewables and sustainability at its core – not only are renewables better for the environment, they’re better for business as well. To provide certainty across industries, including the auto industry in which I work, we need sensible debate and considering the adoption of CO2 emission targets for vehicles must be part of that debate.

In the United States, for example, to achieve a 1.4% decrease in CO2 emissions (794 million tons) over the past decade, the regulatory constraints on coal-burning utilities, as well as cheap natural gas has resulted in increased energy efficiency.

Earlier this year at its Annual General Meeting, AUDI AG told investors of our plans to introduce 20 all-electric models by 2025, as part of our plan to reduce our carbon footprint by 30 percent.

That includes a target that electrified models will be 40 percent of sales volume globally and we’re looking forward to launching our first all-electric Audi e-tron here in Australia next year. 

But we need a structured framework around renewable energy in Australia to really ensure the success of electric vehicles here, as well as a sustainable future for the country. The best way to achieve this is to start by setting carbon emissions targets, as a true example of policy that is as good for business and industry as it is for the environment.