Energy

What is the Energy White Paper?
Corrigendum
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What is the Energy White Paper?

The Energy White Paper 2012, Australia's energy transformation, sets out a strategic policy framework to address the challenges in our energy sector and position Australia for a long term transformation in the way we produce and use energy.

The policy framework is based on a clear vision of building a secure, resilient and efficient energy system that:

• provides accessible, reliable and competitively priced energy for all Australians
• enhances Australia's domestic and export growth potential
• delivers clean and sustainable energy.

The cornerstone of the Government's energy policy framework is a commitment to deliver Australia's energy needs through competitive and well-regulated markets that are operating in the long-term interests of consumers and the nation.

The Energy White Paper identifies four priority action areas to support our energy transformation:

1. delivering better energy market outcomes for consumers
2. accelerating our clean energy transformation
3. developing Australia's critical energy resources, particularly gas resources
4. strengthening the resilience of Australia's energy policy framework.

The Energy White Paper Features updated modelling of Australia's electricity sector by the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics and previous work by Treasury for the Clean Energy Future Plan (See online Appendix A). 

In addition, the CSIRO has released an on-line interactive tool e-Future, which allows users to explore different scenarios and gain an awareness of the potential range of the electricity generation profile out to 2050, and how the electricity mix can change as a result of carbon pricing, fuel costs, and technology developments.

Corrigendum

Complete document 

Chapter summary 

Individual chapters

Document Title	PDF	Data tables
Foreword
Abbreviations and acronyms
Executive Summary	[PDF 113KB]
Part I: Australia's energy in context
Chapter 1—A framework for national energy policy	[PDF 800KB]
Chapter 2—Energy in Australia	[PDF 2MB]	[XLS 76KB]
Chapter 3—Future energy trends and challenges	[PDF 491KB]	[XLS 35KB]
Part II: Core elements of Australia's energy policy
Chapter 4—Energy security	[PDF 752KB]
Chapter 5—Energy resources	[PDF 1MB]	[XLS 32KB]
Chapter 6—Clean energy	[PDF 254KB]	[XLS 32KB]
Chapter 7—Energy markets: overview	[PDF 803KB]
Chapter 8—Energy markets: liquid fuels	[PDF 459KB]	[XLS 208KB]
Chapter 9—Energy markets: gas	[PDF 1MB]
Chapter 10—Energy markets: electricity	[PDF 737KB]	[XLS 23KB]
Chapter 11—Energy productivity	[PDF 242KB]	[XLS 27KB]
Part III: Supporting energy policy outcomes
Chapter 12—Sustainability, workforce and Indigenous opportunities	[PDF 165KB]
Chapter 13—International energy engagement	[PDF 125KB]
Chapter 14—Energy information	[PDF 143KB]
References

List of tables and figures

Tables

Figures

Figure	Title	Data tables
1.1	Key elements of national energy policy	n/a
2.1	Australia's major energy resources, excluding hydro and bioenergy, 2012	n/a
2.2	Australia's energy flows, 2009–10 (PJ)	n/a
2.3	Australian energy production, 1973–74 to 2010–11	[XLS 76KB]
2.4	Australian trade in refined petroleum products, 1986–87 to 201–11	[XLS 76KB]
2.5	Electricity production, by fuel, 2010–11	[XLS 76KB]
2.6	Electricity and gas retail price index (inflation adjusted), Australian capital cities, 1991 to 2012	[XLS 76KB]
2.7	Australia's greenhouse gas emissions profile (excluding land-use change)	[XLS 76KB]
3.1	World primary energy demand in the new policies scenario, by region, 1990 to 2035 (Mtoe)	n/a
3.2	World primary energy demand in the new policies scenario (Mtoe)	n/a
3.3	Shares of energy sources in world primary demand, by scenario, 2035	n/a
3.4	Australian energy production, consumption and net exports, 2008–09 to 2034–35 (PJ)	[XLS 35KB]
3.5	Australian energy trade projections, by fuel, 2008–09 to 2034–35 (PJ)	[XLS 35KB]
3.6	Electricity demand in the National Electricity Market to 2021–22	[XLS 35KB]
3.7	Australia's electricity generation mix to 2050—Australian Treasury projections	n/a
3.8	Australia's electricity generation mix to 2050—AEMO medium demand scenario	n/a
3.9	Fuel price index, 2006 to 2050	[XLS 35KB]
5.1	Advanced mineral and energy projects in Australia, April 2012	[XLS 32KB]
5.2	Australia's energy resource development framework	n/a
6.1	Electricity generation technology shares to 2050	[XLS 32KB]
6.2	AETA projected technology cost ranges (2030)	[XLS 32KB]
7.1	National energy markets framework	n/a
7.2	History of Australian energy market reform	n/a
8.1	Australian petrol flows, 2010–11 (ML)	n/a
8.2	Australian refineries, ports and terminals	n/a
8.3	Share of retail volumes, by brand, 2002–03 and 2010–11	[XLS 208KB]
8.4	Average Australian unleaded petrol prices, July 2007 to September 2011	n/a
8.5	Crude oil and condensate balance, 2010–11 to 2034–35 (PJ)	n/a
8.6	Australia's refined product balance, 2010–11 to 2034–35 (PJ)	n/a
8.7	Modelled transport fuel mix to 2050, by fuel type (PJ)	[XLS 208KB]
9.1	Australia's gas basins, pipelines and markets	n/a
9.2	Demonstrated and potential Australian gas resources and cumulative production to 2034–35, plotted against gas resources in 2012 (PJ)	n/a
10.1	Australia's electricity systems	n/a
10.2	Investment in electricity capacity since 2000 (MW)	[XLS 23KB]
11.1	Trends in energy intensity across the Australian economy, 1989–90 to 2009–10	[XLS 27KB]
11.2	Total and maximum energy demand index, 2005–06 to 2010–11	[XLS 27KB]

Appendix

Related pages

• Media release
• Speech
• Related links and documents
• Archived: Draft Energy White Paper 2011

More information

Electronic copies of the Energy White Paper 2012 can be downloaded  by chapter or as an entire document.

Only a limited number of hard copies of the Energy White Paper have been printed.