Episode 'S' for Samoa - Electrification target of 35% - Realistic or Aspiration for Australia?
Shownotes
Can Australia hit net zero without a clear plan to get there? In this episode of Bula COP31, we sit down with energy transition expert Jonathan Jutsen to unpack what it will really take to electrify Australia's economy by 2035.
Jon has spent decades working at the intersection of energy policy and business, and he doesn't pull punches: Australia's energy transition remains deeply politicised, market forces (not policy) are currently driving renewables adoption, and without a detailed, bottom-up operational plan, the 35% electrification target risks becoming another missed milestone.
We cover what's genuinely improved in renewable uptake, why bipartisanship has been so hard to find, sector-by-sector realities of electrification, lessons Australia could take from Norway, and the case for microgrids and local energy solutions as the grid strains to keep up. We also touch on the future of biofuels and renewable diesel for the hard-to-abate sectors electrification can't easily reach.
This episode also pays tribute to Fiona Wain, remembered as a high-energy voice who was never short of an opinion — and whose impact on the sector's thinking runs through much of this conversation.
👤 Guest: Jonathan Jutsen
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