Australia and the US call for the acceleration of the renewable energy transition as a form of insurance, arguing that no country has ever been 'held hostage' over access to the wind or sun.
Australia and the US have called for the acceleration of renewable energy on national security grounds, arguing power from the sun or the wind could not be used as a weapon.The US says it is being aggressive in its transition to renewable energy, but is wary of the risksAt a major energy conference in Sydney today, federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen drew a contrast between the security of renewable energy sources and fossil fuels such as oil and gas.
Mr Bowen was backed by his American counterpart, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, who said renewable energy "could be the greatest peace plan of all". "We know that as we move with great assertiveness, with determination, with alacrity to this clean energy future, that we have to ensure the reliability of energy overall for our citizens," she said.
"We have to make sure that it is an aggressive, orderly transition and not a disorderly one, because that could set us back." IEA executive director Fatih Birol predicted the coming winter in the Northern Hemisphere would be particularly difficult as Russia sought to exploit its leverage over Europe by restricting gas supplies.
China controls 80 per cent of global solar panel production and there are forecasts that could increase.Dr Birol also warned that China's dominance of some clean energy technologies, such as solar panel manufacturing, was a material risk looming on the horizon.
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