In tonight’s Federal budget announcement, Treasurer Scott Morrison announced $37 million would be allocated for “energy infrastructure” in South Australia.
Electricity prices were also a focus. This is what Morrison had to say.
“The Prime Minister’s energy security plan provides reliable and affordable energy for Australians, coping with rising electricity prices,” he said. “He is securing access to our gas resources for domestic use. We have set aside around $90 million for this task in this budget. He is ensuring energy consumers and businesses get a fairer deal, by funding the ACCC to investigate and police competition in retail electricity and gas markets.”
Morrison said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is working to improve energy regulation “with additional funding tonight to improve gas market efficiency and transparency”.
Investment in “new generation, transmission and storage capacity” includes the Snowy Hydro Scheme 2.0, the $37 million to South Australia and funding “to prove up gas pipeline proposals to South Australia from Western Australia and the Northern Territory”.
More than $3 billion has already been provided to support new emissions technologies, Morrison said.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2017/03/south-australias-premier-just-ripped-the-federal-government-a-new-one-on-renewable-energy/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/weatherill_frydenberg-410×231.jpg” title=”South Australia’s Premier Just Ripped The Federal Government A New One On Renewable Energy” excerpt=””It’s a disgrace, the way in which your government has treated our state.” South Australia’s premier, Jay Weatherill, didn’t mince his words when he was standing face to face with the federal government’s minister for energy Josh Frydenberg on live TV during a press conference about the state’s energy policy.”]
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2017/03/malcolm-turnbull-is-chatting-to-elon-musk-about-his-offer-to-solve-south-australias-energy-crisis/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/elon-musk-cool-410×231.jpg” title=”Malcolm Turnbull Is Chatting To Elon Musk About His Offer To Solve South Australia’s Energy Crisis” excerpt=”Elon Musk and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently had “an in-depth discussion on the value of storage and the future of the electricity system”, according to a statement from the PM’s office – and the pair’s twitter feeds.
This follows Musk’s promise last week to solve South Australia’s energy problems within 100 days of signing a contract (presumably to install a Powerpack battery farm like Tesla did in California recently) – or “it’s free”.”]
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2017/03/elon-musk-guarantees-he-can-solve-south-australias-energy-woes-in-100-days/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/elon-musk-smug-410×231.jpg” title=”Elon Musk Puts A ‘Money Back Guarantee’ On Fixing South Australia’s Energy Woes” excerpt=”Tesla’s vice-president for energy products, Lyndon Rive, yesterday announced that Tesla would be capable of fixing South Australia’s electricity problems “within 100 days” if asked.
Today, Elon Musk himself has taken to twitter to put a money-back guarantee on the promise.”]
Read the full speech here.