Electrifying everything under the sun

In his book The Wires that Bind, inventor Saul Griffith acknowledges that running all of our machines on electricity will require a lot of power, and for it to be beneficial, the energy sources driving that power need to be generated in a clean, green way. The National Energy Market Operator estimates that currently almost half of our annual energy output is powered by coal. However, Australia has the highest per-capita installations globally of Solar PV systems in homes and lots of space for renewable energy projects. All this gives Australia an advantage over other countries in terms of electrifying our energy sector completely in a very short space of time. So, could Australia emerge as a leading electric superpower to guide the rest of the world into electrification? And how do we get there and what challenges will we face along the way?

Learning Outcomes

Following this presentation, you should be able to:

• Outline the current sources of electricity generation in Australia
• Identify the factors that are preventing the incorporation of more renewable energy into the Australian energy grid
• Identify the advantages that Australia has over other countries in terms of electrifying its energy sector
• Identify possible pathways the nation could follow to become a renewable energy superpower

This presentation will deliver outcomes related to the following Competency/s from the National Standard of Competency for Architects 2021:

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

PC 10 – Demonstrate understanding of the whole life carbon implications of procurement methods, materials, components and construction systems.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

PC 31 – Be able to identify, analyse and integrate information relevant to environmental sustainability – such as energy and water consumption, resources depletion, waste, embodied carbon and carbon emissions – over the lifecycle of a project.

PC 33 – Be able to investigate, coordinate and integrate sustainable environmental systems – including water, thermal, lighting and acoustics – in response to consultants’ advice.

PC 35 – Be able to assess operational and embodied carbon implications of materials, components, construction systems and supply chains (including transport) to achieve net zero whole life carbon when developing design concepts. This includes integrating relevant consultant expertise and advising on the impact of chosen materials, components and systems on carbon outcomes.

This session is presented by: