Covid-19 and the shift towards net-zero emissions in Australia: accelerating the energy transition

Like most advanced economies, the impact of COVID-19 in Australia was immense. Of course, there were social and health impacts, but Australia also felt the impact in its supply chains and commodities, exposing existing fissures and demonstrating the weaknesses of its poor manufacturing sector. To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian federal government implemented 'gas-fired' economic recovery, supporting the exploration for new sources of gas as part of not only a manufacturing recovery plan, but also an energy transition plan. Australia's attempts at energy transition prior to the COVID-19 pandemic had been weak compared to other developed nations in the region. Building on pre-covid advances, and on the back of a need for a manufacturing-led recovery, the Australian government implemented its Low-Emissions Technology Roadmap, which incorporates a national hydrogen strategy. This Roadmap advances several priority areas, including carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen, and energy storage. This paper concludes that the need for a gas-led recovery has advanced Australia's energy transition, and led to research and development to advance hydrogen, CCS, and energy storage as sources of low-carbon energy in the transitioning Australian economy and electricity sector.