Energy policies of IEA countries : Australia 2001 review

The International Energy Agency's 2001 review of Australia's energy policies and programmes. It finds that Australia is rich in low-cost energy resources, especially coal. The country exports large amounts of coal, liquefied natural gas and uranium to the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. This contributes to international availability and security of energy supply. Efforts are under way to increase LNG exports and to make Australian coal even more competitive. For most of the past decade, Australia has been at the forefront of energy market liberalisation. Following liberalisation by individual states in the early 1990s, the competitive National Electricity Market was established in 1998. The NEM integrates markets across the eastern and south-eastern states. The benefits have been considerable: strong competition, significant price reductions and consumer choice. Gas market reform has been under way since 1997 and is beginning to yield the first benefits. More work is needed to complete the reform process. In the power market, this includes open access for all consumers and providing efficient price signals for interconnection. The Australian government spends almost A$ 1 billion on climate change mitigation programmes. Many of these programmes are market-oriented, including a mandatory certificates trading system. The International Energy Agency's periodic review of France's energy policies and programmes. This 2009 edition finds that the energy policy of France seeks to achieve a balance between the environmentally responsible production and use of energy, the growth and competitiveness of the economy, and secure and competitively priced energy and infrastructure. To meet these objectives, the French government in 2007 launched an impressive environmental programme, Grenelle de l’Environnement, which sets ambitious targets, particularly in the buildings and transport sectors. The government has also made commendable efforts in enhancing gas supply security and forwarding initiatives to expand infrastructure and interconnections with neighbouring countries. These efforts should make regional electricity and gas markets more stable and secure. In the nuclear power sector, France has created an independent Nuclear Safety Authority and established a comprehensive framework for managing all kinds of radioactive waste and materials. Notwithstanding its policy successes, France faces a number of challenges. Its targets aimed at combating climate change are very ambitious. While greenhouse gas emissions in France are lower than the average among IEA countries due to the important role in electricity generation of nuclear power, emissions in the transport and buildings sectors increased from 1990 to 2008. Effective implementation of the announced policies and measures will be imperative for meeting France’s international and national commitments. In the electricity sector, the co-existence of regulated tariffs and market prices may impede mobilising the investment needed for maintenance and life extensions of nuclear power plants. The country also needs to boost the flexibility of electricity networks in order to achieve a structural balance between base load generation and increasing demand for peak-load. This review analyses the energy challenges facing France and provides sectoral critiques and recommendations for further policy improvements. 1. Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations 2. Organisation of the Review 3. Energy Market and Energy Policy 4. Energy Efficiency, Environment, and Renewables 5. Coal 6. Oil 7. Natural Gas 8. Electricity 9. Technology Research and Development Annex A. Energy Balances and Key Statistical Data Annex B. International Energy Agency "Shared Goals" Annex C. Glossary and List of Abbreviations