WA Government creates energy transformation taskforce

future battery industry, virtual power plant, future battery FBICRC, renewable energy package
WA Energy Minister Bill Johnston and Premier Mark McGowan

WA Energy Minister Bill Johnston has established the Energy Transformation Taskforce, which will implement the WA Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy.

The government says the strategy will deliver a cleaner, affordable and more reliable electricity supply to Western Australian households and businesses for decades to come.

energy transformation taskforce
The traditional electricity supply chain
energy transformation taskforce
The new electricity supply chain

The Strategy will be delivered under three work streams:

Former Horizon Power chairperson Stephen Edwell, who is an economist with extensive experience in energy sector regulation, market design, policy and utility reform, will chair the taskforce.

The taskforce will report directly to the Minister for Energy and will be supported by the Energy Transformation Implementation Unit, a new unit within the Department of Treasury.

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The taskforce will deliver the Energy Transformation Strategy’s Whole of System Plan to facilitate a more co-ordinated approach for the power system of the future.

It will also produce a Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap to guide the integration of solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicles into the power system.

The strategy will improve network connection and electricity market arrangements to cater for the growth of renewable energy into the future.

Energy Minister Bill Johnston said he’s confident in Mr Edwell’s abilities to lead the taskforce.

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“Mr Edwell was the inaugural chairperson of the Australian Energy Regulator and has successfully led major reform projects in Western Australia and Queensland, including creating WA’s electricity market,” he said.

“I look forward to working with the taskforce, industry and consumer stakeholders to deliver on our vision of a cleaner and more resilient power system.”

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