The Case for Recreating Australia's Energy Market

The National Market came into existence 25 years ago with its exclusive focus on capital efficiency.  The owners of the traditional energy industry are now facing problems as result of the renewable energy revolution which operates outside the National Market. To adapt to this the regulatory framework has become considerably more complicated.

This presentation will provide an overview of the current regulatory and market difficulties and explore future potential electricity market scenarios.

Dr. Ron Ben-David, Monash University & Principal Solrose Consulting.

Dr Ron Ben-David is a Professorial Fellow with the Monash Business School and Monash Sustainable Development Institute. This role is focussed on policy, regulatory, market and institutional design. He is also Principal of Solrose Consulting.

Between 2008 and 2019, he served as full-time chair of the Essential Services Commission, Victoria’s economic regulator.  Previously Ron held roles in the Departments of Premier & Cabinet and Treasury & Finance in Victoria.

He also headed the national Secretariat for the Garnaut Climate Change Review in 2007.

Ron has written, presented and lectured on water reform, energy markets, competition policy, local government accountability, sustainability, climate change, and economic policy.

Robert McMillan, Director, farrierswier & ARENA advisory panel member.

 Robert is an economist specialising in regulatory policy and practice in the energy, water, and transport sectors.  He advises policy makers, energy businesses and regulators on integrating distributed energy resources, renewable gasses, and state and market operator-initiated transmission investments into national and jurisdictional regimes.  Serving on ARENA’s advisory panel he has assessed innovation funding for renewable technologies, electrification, renewable fuels, and energy market and grid integration since 2017.

Prior to joining Farrierswier in 2016, he held general manager roles in regulation and strategy for Jemena.  He was accountable for regulation of Jemena’s $11 billion portfolio of electricity, gas and recycled water assets.