Australian Government Failing On Electricity Costs : Chu

Steven Chu

Former US Energy Secretary Steven Chu has criticised the Australian Government for its lack of foresight on energy issues and climate change.

According to BusinessSpectator; the Physics Nobel Prize winner said in a recent Radio National interview that the Australian Government’s lack of action on climate change will also negatively impact on the cost of electricity.

“I think the leaders in Australia are right now opting to make the cost of electricity more expensive for its citizens. Is that a failure? Yes,” he said.

“In Australia you’ve got stunning sun, solar. I would hazard a guess that solar’s going to become within five years, 10 years max and maybe even today, it’s the low cost option. It certainly will be within a decade.”

It’s long been argued that Australia’s Renewable Energy Target will not only help address burgeoning carbon emissions, but will also drive down electricity costs. Even the controversial Warburton Report, compiled by a government-picked panel, acknowledged renewable energy will reduce electricity prices for all Australians.

Mr. Chu is a staunch supporter of solar technologies and while he also supports nuclear power, he says the economics for nuclear in Australia are “iffy” and acknowledges other thorny issues including security.

Earlier this year, Mr. Chu also lashed out at power companies in the USA attempting to curtail the growth of solar, claiming grid stability issues. Mr. Chu said it was a ‘bullshit argument’ where solar power systems hadn’t yet reached 20% saturation.

As Energy Secretary, Mr. Chu led a number of important clean energy initiatives, including the SunShot program launched in 2011 that aims to reduce the cost of solar energy by 75 percent by 2020.

Mr. Chu was the USA’s Energy Secretary from 2009 to 2013 and is currently working at Stanford University with a team developing improved energy storage solutions.

“As the saying goes, the Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones; we transitioned to better solutions.”  – Steven Chu

Get a quick solar quote, or contact us today toll free on 1800 EMATTERS or email our friendly team for expert, obligation-free advice!

Other Energy Matters news services: