Part 1/9:
Critical Analysis of Renewable Energy Cost Claims in Australia
Introduction
In recent discussions surrounding Australia's energy future, a recurring claim has been that wind and solar power—collectively known as variable renewable energy (VRE)—are the cheapest new energy sources. However, Zoe Hilton, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Independent Studies and former senior policy adviser to the New South Wales government, offers a critical perspective that questions this narrative. Through her analysis, Hilton exposes flaws in the data and assumptions used by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), which has been publicly promoting renewables as the most cost-effective option for the country's energy needs.