The superpower vision


Australia can become a renewable energy superpower.
We have made some good progress towards this “superpower vision”.
A 4-minute Pitch for the superpower vision
(The pitch is on a blue background. Use the below “pitch button” to toggle between seeing the “pitch and evidence” and “only the pitch”.)
Climate emergency
We face a climate emergency and need to act now to protect ourselves, our children, and our environment.
See the evidence page on this site.
Renewable energy superpower vision
Fortunately, by acting now, we can also grasp a prosperous future with sustainable industries and jobs.
Powered by our cheap renewable energy, Australia can radically expand its industrial base, for example, steel production, and become a renewable energy exporting superpower.
However, if we are slow, others will grab this opportunity.
This superpower vision is realistic; look at our progress towards this vision. And this progress has brought benefits.
For example, in South Australia:
Solve price, reliability, and emissions
Renewables now generate 70% of their electricity.
- (South Australia reaches a world-leading 60% share of wind and solar over the year up to 7 Feb 2021: Renew Economy: 8 Feb 2021)
- This is progress towards the superpower vision.
Renewables have reduced expensive gas generation,
- South Australia has had high electricity costs because gas has become expensive.
- (South Australia had the lowest cost of supply in the east coast grid in October 2019: Renew Economy: 1 Nov 2019)
& reduced the state’s wholesale electricity prices: the state did have the highest prices on the East Coast grid for years, but now it often has the lowest,
- (Renewables dominated South Australia, delivering cheaper power than in Victoria and NSW: Renew Economy: 13 July 2020)
- This is a benefit of the move to renewables.
& increased the reliability of electricity,
- With grid-scale batteries, the whole East Coast grid now copes better with crises. This is a benefit of the move to renewables.
- (Wind and batteries saved the day when a storm cut South Australia adrift: Renew Economy: 14 Feb 2020)
- (Batteries and renewables will outmatch coal and gas for reliable and cheap power: Renew Economy: 29 March 2021)
& cut emissions.
So, renewables are making Australian industries more competitive.
- This is a benefit of the move to renewables.
Industrialise with renewables
When Australia exports refined minerals, it also exports the energy used in the refining, the embodied energy. Australia is already exporting renewable energy in this way. This export is growing and could become enormous.
Exporting green aluminium and renewable energy
We already export renewable energy from our four aluminium smelters, e.g., the Bell Bay aluminium smelter:
(1) uses Tasmania’s 99% renewable electricity to make aluminium,
(2) exports aluminium, and so
(3) exports the electricity used to make this exported aluminium, which is 20% of the state’s generation, and
(4) employs 440 people, which is good for employment and the Launceston region.
- Bell Bay uses 25% of Tasmania’s electricity and employs 440 people. (Bell Bay power talks underway: The Examiner)
- 80% of Bell Bay aluminium is exported (Bell Bay Aluminium)
- Bell Bay exports 20% of Tasmania’s electricity ( 80% of 25% = 20%).
- The Australian Aluminium Council: Industry information
- A pitch focussing on the NSW Tomago aluminium smelter: On this site.
Exporting green steel and renewable energy
The Grattan Institute reports that Australia could refine more of our iron ore and create 25,000 manufacturing jobs in the coal mining areas of Queensland and NSW. Several companies are pursuing green steel:
(1) the existing Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia, and
(2) Fortescue has announced plans for green hydrogen and green steel in Western Australia.
- (Green Steel is hailed as the next big thing in Australia: The Conversation: 2 June 2021)
- (Want more jobs in Australia: Cut our ore exports and make more metals at home: The Conversation: 8 Nov 2019)
- (Forrest unveils Fortescue’s green steel plans: Australian Mining: 22 Jan 2021)
Australia is the world’s largest exporter of ores that need energy-intensive processing. Now, our cheap renewable energy will make it economical to refine more of these minerals here.
- Ross Garnaut’s book “Superpower”, pages 69-70.
Our export of “embodied renewable energy” will increase as we (1) move towards 100% renewable energy and (2) export more refined minerals.
Australia is industrialising based on renewable energy and moving towards being a renewable energy superpower.
- South Australia is on track to meet its renewable energy target of 100% by 2027 and is targetting 500% by 2050. This is progress towards the superpower vision.
- (South Australia targets 500% renewables in a new climate plan: Renew Economy: 16 Dec 2020)
These plans leave the Federal Coalition’s continuing attacks on renewable energy looking strange.
Vast commercial export plans
We also see gargantuan commercial plans to export renewable energy.
The Asian Renewable Energy Hub in Western Australia plans to generate 100 Terawatt hours a year. That’s about 68% of Australia’s coal generation in 2019, and more than China’s Three Gorges Dam, which is the second-largest generator in the world.
- The Asian Renewable Energy Hub
- The largest hydrogen project globally is the Asian Renewable Energy Hub in the Pilbara, WA. With 16 GW of wind power and 10 GW of solar power, this 26 GW of renewables will power the 14 GW hydrogen-producing electrolyser.
Australian company Sun Cable plans to supply 20% of Singapore’s electricity from the Northern Territory via a submarine cable.
- (The world’s biggest solar and battery project lands a planning deal with the Northern Territory government: Renew Economy: 29 Jan 2021)
- (The Sun Cable website)
- ((Sun Cable submits plans for a gigawatt-scale solar manufacturing plant in Darwin: Renew Economy: 31 March 2021)
Green energy is coming.
Our progress indicates that the superpower vision is realistic, and the benefits show it would be good for jobs, security, and prosperity.
We need to urgently push ahead with this transition before other nations grasp these opportunities.
- Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula, is one clear competitor for these hydrogen opportunities.
- (Oman to host 25GW of wind, solar, and green hydrogen mega-project: Renew Economy: 19 May 2021)
- .
- Well, that’s it, the 4-minute pitch.
More progress towards the superpower vision
See more of our progress on the pages under “progress” in the menu.
Our States and Territories already rely substantially on renewable energy and have ambitious plans to expand renewables.
See Australian is moving into renewable energy on this site.
Companies are moving to renewable energy and batteries to cut costs, e.g. remote mines with microgrids are generating 50% of their electricity from renewables.
See Big companies are buying or generating renewable energy on this site.
Australia is industrialising based on renewable energy and mineral resources, e.g., developing green industries around steel, aluminium, zinc, and manganese.
See Cheap renewable energy is leading to more mineral processing in Australia on this site.
Australia could generate seven times as much renewable energy as we consume and export the surplus. One way we are already exporting renewable energy is via our export of aluminium, steel, and zinc.
See The export of renewable energy from Australia on this site.
As the world moves towards renewable energy, Australian enterprises are finding global niches, providing equipment and solutions.
See Australia is supplying equipment and solutions on this site.
Australia has made progress towards renewable transport.
See several brief pitches for renewable transport on this site.
References
Beyond Zero Emissions (2015) Zero Carbon Australia: Renewable Energy Superpower
Ross Garnaut (2019) Super-Power: Australia’s low-carbon opportunity: La Trobe University Press
Drivers of Australia’s transformation
There are many drivers of Australia’s transformation into a renewable energy superpower.
The renewables disruption
One driver is that we are in the midst of a renewable energy disruption. Renewables are replacing fossil fuels, just like the motor car replaced the horse and buggy:
- wind and solar generation, with battery storage, now provide the cheapest electricity, and
- the Tesla battery at Hornsdale in South Australia showed the world that big batteries could perform critical roles in running a grid, and now there are over 40 big batteries completed or planned in Australia.
See The renewable energy revolution.
Australia has competitive advantages

Australia glows orange on this map because we have outstanding winds and sun. Another driver of the transformation is that Australia has outstanding energy and mineral resources and will benefit from the renewable energy revolution.
See: Australia’s competitive advantages in the renewables’ era
The transition is creating quality jobs
- Building renewable infrastructure is creating jobs for engineers and construction workers.
- Our emerging industries are creating enduring jobs for salespeople, production planners, and plant operators.
Accelerating the superpower transition would be a sound economic investment and economic stimulus.
(The Million Jobs Plan: Beyond Zero Emissions: 2020)
Security: Energy brings political power
Control of energy resources brings political power. The British built their empire on coal. The Americans built their empire on oil. Why are the democracies leaving the Chinese to build an empire on renewable energy, the energy of this century? We should strive to become a renewable energy superpower in the interests of Australian security.
(China: Beware the green dragon, not the red one, Crispin Hull: March 2018)
International pressure
Japan, South Korea, and China have set net zero-emission targets. As they move towards these targets, decreasing their use of our fossil fuels, they will be interested in buying our renewable energy.
(Net-zero: What if Australia misses the moment on climate action: The Guardian: 31 Oct 2020)
International pressure is building on Australia from:
- the United Nations,
- Pacific islands nations,
- the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, and
- US President Biden is making climate action a priority.
Australia is benefiting from the transition
Some suggest that the transition to renewables will damage our economy, but the opposite is true.
The global energy transition is underway. It’s an enormous global wealth-generating opportunity, driven by the plummeting costs of renewable energy. The transition will:
- lead to a stronger Australian economy as we export renewable energy and become a renewable energy superpower,
- reduce our carbon emissions,
- assist other nations to reduce their emissions, and
- slow global warming and so reduce the costs of climate damage.
It’s in Australia’s economic interest to make this transition.
We can combat climate change, and at the same time, build a stronger economy & society.
Urgent climate action needed
Even though Australia is making strides towards becoming a renewable energy superpower, we still need to do everything we can to accelerate this transition: other nations can seize these opportunities, and climate change is already wreaking havoc, see:
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Source: Map of wind and solar potential: Beyond Zero Emissions: Renewable Energy Superpower Report
Updated 5 August 2021