Aemo says new planning scenarios, including a ‘hydrogen superpower’ option, reflect accelerating transition in energy market
While Scott Morrison is yet to give a formal commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, Australia’s energy market operator has added the mid-century scenario to its forward planning.
In its latest Inputs, Assumptions and Scenarios Report, released on Friday, the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) has added new planning scenarios – including net zero by 2050 and a “hydrogen superpower” option.
Aemo’s chief system design officer, Alex Wonhas, said the updated scenario planning reflected the accelerating transition in Australia’s energy market and “overwhelming” calls from stakeholders for the energy market operator to produce scenarios “to reflect the observed rapid decarbonisation of the energy sector and pathways to achieve net-zero emissions across the economy”.
Stakeholders say Aemo initially floated a more prominent transitional role for gas in line with the Morrison government’s “gas-fired recovery” rhetoric, but this idea was resisted during consultation. Aemo spent 10 months consulting with consumer groups, governments, individuals and industry on its plans.
