2013 Keith Roby Memorial Trust Lecture presented by Dr Muriel Watt

'Preventing the Death Spiral of the Electricity Industry: The Option of Distributed Energy Markets'

Residential electricity use in Australia has been declining each year since 2008, driven by a combination of factors including photovoltaics, energy efficiency and responses to increasing electricity prices. These trends are likely to continue and will put increasing pressure on the income streams and business models of established utilities. Responses by regulators to date have focused on attempts to maintain current business models. However, disruptive technologies such as photovoltaics will likely drive the need for more fundamental changes.

This presentation will discuss the development of PV markets in particular, and the options available for new regulatory frameworks that could facilitate establishment of new distributed energy markets that would provide least-cost energy services for customers and enable the existing electricity industry to transition to the ‘new normal’

Dr Muriel Watt is Chair of the Australian Photovoltaics Association and Head of Energy Policy & Photovoltaics for the renewable energy consulting company IT Power Australia, and a part-time Senior Lecturer in the School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of NSW. She holds the positions of Australian representative on the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency Photovoltaics Power Systems Programme and member of the Australian Enterprise Connect Clean Technology Advisory Committee. 

RSVP: Essential by Wednesday 16 October 2013 to rsvp@murdoch.edu.au or on 9360 6176

Parking: Free parking is available at Car Park 3

Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the lecture

Contact:      Heather Stoddart

Emai:          h.stoddart@murdoch.edu.au

Tel:             9360 6148