Organisations representing Australia’s energy industry and consumers of all sizes have united in calling for a cooperative and strategic response to Australia’s energy transition and challenges, as Australia’s energy ministers gather in the aftermath of South Australia’s electricity blackout.

Australia is undergoing a major transition towards a lower carbon emissions economy and new technologies for generation, supply, storage, and use of energy. The storm and subsequent blackout in South Australia underline the vital importance of energy security, and the vulnerability of our increasingly complex electricity system to natural disasters. Before the storm and blackout, South Australia also experienced significant energy price rises and volatility, shaped by: interconnector limitations; gas supply issues; the exit of coal-fired generation; and an increase in renewable energy generation.