Energy Security in Australia: Achieving Sustainability Through System Thinking
Energy plays a crucial role in human beings' lives because it helps them to carry out the activities that affect their day to day lives such as manufacturing of goods. For the aforementioned reason, ensuring that the supply of energy is stable becomes a critical aspect. A stable supply of energy will guarantee sustainability into the future so as future generations need not to worry about depletion or undersupply of energy. One of the things that need to be done to ensure stable supply of energy is looking into energy security. System thinking appears to be one critical aspect that seeks to come up with solutions which ensures that there is energy sustainability, especially, by coming up with solutions to complex challenges affecting energy security. Due to the importance of energy security, the discussion to follow intends to look at how Australia has been able or seeks to achieve energy security in manufacturing sector through system thinking.
Australia's Carbon Capture and Storage (CSS) Deployment
Australia has Carbon Capture and Storage (CSS) deployment which helps in the production of energy by fossils fuel. CSS ensures that there is energy security on a long-term basis. Owing to the importance of CSS to ensure energy security, the government in collaboration with industries has heavily invested in CSS. The investment has since enhanced energy security storage of carbon dioxide as well as the assessment of techno-economic situation of the country. Another move of system thinking that the Australian government is doing to ensure there is energy security in the country can be seen by the head of government, the Prime Minister, who combines the efforts of economics and engineering in the energy security agenda (Mark 37-50). This is achieved by employing engineers and scientists tasked with the responsibility of doing researches on new solutions regarding the energy security situation in the country. Their focus is on renewable energy which is sustainable for both present and future generations.
Collaboration with the International Energy Agency
The Australian government also cooperates with the International Energy Agency (International Energy Agency). This has since provided the Australian government with the platform to work on improving the energy sector. Furthermore, the government is able to look at policies affecting the energy, especially, what needs to be regulated. Some of the energy models being used are outdated and need to either be updated or banned for use. Through the implementation of appropriate policies related to energy, the government is able to tackle such problem so as to ensure outdated energy models are not used (Process online: industrial news). Thus they ensure that they update the model. After thorough research, the government ensures that there is a reliable supply of the energy to the consumer, they reduce the demand of the energy to reduce the emission, and they also keep the prices of the energy under control to control the use of the energy in the country.
Promoting Clean and Sustainable Sources of Energy
Another move of system thinking that the government is taking to not only solve the challenges existing in regards to ensuring there is clean sources of energy, but also identifying cheaper and sustainable sources of energy. This is done by engineers and designers who are involved in the production process of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) (Slothuus, Rune, Leeper and Druckman, 125-150). This is also important to energy security of the country. There is, in addition to ensuring energy security in manufacturing sector in Australia, the introduction of the National Energy Guarantee (Finkel). This is an organization working in Australia that ensures there is increased energy security in the country. The organization, chaired by the Australian chief scientist Dr. Alan Finkel, in consultation with the Energy Security Board come up with solutions that are used to lower the emission of carbon, which is among the substance that pollutes the environment.
Policies and Priorities for Cheaper and Cleaner Energy
Another energy security measure carried out by the government of Australia is that it has set aside priorities her program to make sure that there is both cheaper and cleaner energy (William, Stephanie and, Gresshoff). These priorities include, increasing energy supply competition so as to keep prices low, ensuring there is increase in energy supply, and lastly, ensuring that the largest investment in energy sector is done by the government. This ensures that energy is used efficiently and that there is energy stability both for present and the generations to come.
Public Engagement and Grievance Mechanism
The Australians citizens, through the legislature, have the right to air their grievances in relation to the stability of energy (Gizmodo Australia). For example, when the prices are considered to be too high, there is likely to be a debate or discussion in parliament regarding the hike in energy prices. The benefits to this are that there would be changes in prices, especially, from the manufacture to make supplier able to supply energy at a relatively affordable prices. This is one way that the Australian government ensures that there is energy stability or rather security, especially, in manufacturing.
International Collaboration and Research
The ability of the Australian government to ensure energy security is evident through the introduction of alternative sources or forms of energy. This has significantly reduced the demand of one form in favor of another among Australians. This is evident by the reduced demand of gas energy in the country, which is attributed to the ability of manufacturing sector generating other forms of energy such as electricity. This not only provides citizens with alternatives, but also significantly reduces the prices of energy in the country (Scrase, Ivan and Ockwell 2225-2233). The reduction in demand ensures there is energy stability, particularly gas energy so manufacturers can produce enough for present and generations to come.
Australia-China Joint Research Centre for Energy
Australia actively supports Australia-China Joint Research Centre for Energy. This is an organization that contains high-end technologies which are able to promote security of energy as well as encourage the reduction of carbon (IV) oxide emission (Jones). This has been enhanced through exchange programs, both the staff and the students. Thus, the two countries carry out research jointly by sharing staff and facilities used in the whole exercise of energy research between the Chinese and the Australian scientists. This in turn has helped in the expansion of knowledge among Australian's manufacturers of energy and in effect, greatly promoted the energy security of the country.
Council of Australian Government (COAG) Reforms
Council of Australian Government (COAG) is an organization in Australian that helps greatly in promoting the security of energy. The organization has come up with a blueprint containing reforms on maintenance of energy security as well as its reliability. The organization for instance proposes that, the National Energy Market (NEM), ought to contain rules that govern the usage of energy especially, with regards to renewable and non-renewable sources of energy. The Australian government will need to, according to the blueprint and the organization, embrace renewable sources of energy if her intention is to achieve energy stability as well as sustainability. The Australian government slow but consistent introduction of renewable sources of energy promises to boost energy sustainability and stability among her citizens. At the same time, the Australian government has developed policies that control the production, usage, and consumption of the energy (Science.gov.au). These policies aims at maintaining the security of energy used in Australia, ensuring there is a maximum export of energy in the country as well as ensuring domestic consumption is efficient. This has greatly helped in the enhancing energy security in Australia.
Focus on Energy Efficiency
Moreover, Australia has plans to increase the security of her energy by relieving the east coast supply which is expected to improve the energy produced (Energy Efficiency). The benefit of this move in regards to energy security is to reduce the use usage of the energy but promote the economy. The government has partnered by other organization in trying to make this a reality. Such organizations include the National Energy Productivity Plan (NEPP), the National Construction Code (NCC) and the Minimum Energy Performance Standards for equipment. The move is good for sustainability of energy.
Addressing Setbacks and Emergency Situations
There are also incidences where the country has struggled on energy security. However, the government through the assessment of her energy security has effectively eliminated its setbacks as well as come up with an energy emergency forum to be used to address such concerns (Wesley). The move seeks to make all Australians or rather consumers have energy. Australia also engages in the international or global supply of energy as a way to supplement whatever shortage there may be in relation to energy supply. This has in turn has promoted stability of energy within the country and promises to do so in future.
Collaboration with the Energy Security Board
The Australian government works closely with the Energy Security Board to obtain knowledge and the best approaches to be used to for energy security within the country. The body offers advisory or consultations services on matters dealing with energy (Murphy). The body also looks at how the country can embrace technological knowhow to increase energy security and sustainability.
Conclusion
On that account, the discussion clearly indicates that energy security of the Australians has been achieved in numerous ways. In addition, it has come clear of the importance of system thinking in regards to the development of solutions to sustainability challenges facing the use of energy is Australia. Though system thinking as a means of solving the question of energy faces a number of challenges, like price hikes of energy consumption, it still remains an appropriate approach that Australia can use to make the use of energy stable and sustainable. Thus, the energy security in the Australia has been achieved in many ways. There has been a steady supply of energy, and the supply appears to continue into the future without much hindrance. Therefore, it would be relatively correct to embrace system thinking when trying to solve the question and concerns arising from manufacturers of energy, with the aim of ensuring energy security and sustainability. This is the same case in Australia as has been demonstrated in the discussion.
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