Renewable energy

Renewable energy companies continue to capture the imagination of investors, entrepreneurs, and governments as challenges and concerns related to climate change, increasing energy demand, energy security, and favourable regulatory policy present themselves. However, while the long-term drivers for renewable energy remain compelling, the renewable energy industry is faced with many uncertainties and unknowns that create unique challenges with respect to offtake agreements, curtailment, connection costs and regulatory changes. This is when Deloitte's insights can make all the difference.

Key drivers of renewable energy

Corporates across a wide range of sectors in Australia and internationally are closely eyeing these energy sector developments, reviewing their retail contracting approach as well as alternative energy procurement options to increasingly participate in the market. The disruption in new energy technologies is leading to innovative and cost competitive electricity supply products and solutions to energy users that are providing a more resilient and sustainable operating environment. In addition to carbon reduction targets, securing renewable electricity supply provides long-term price certainty to businesses, enabling customers to mitigate the risk of increased energy costs in a volatile energy only market.

The underlying drivers for the growing use of renewable energy by various businesses is to:

1. Action their climate commitments to investors to meet emission reduction targets
2. Establish a competitive advantage through product greening and differentiation with respect to their customers who have their own climate commitments
3. Improve operational performance and build resiliency for the participants in their supply chain
4. Achieve long-term energy security and reduce energy input costs using low-cost energy technologies and innovative market offerings.

Alternative thinking

Look around. At some point in your daily travels, potentially on your very own street, you’ll likely see rooftop solar panels, utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, wind turbines, and/or electric vehicle charging stations. This doesn’t even include the activity going on behind the scenes, such as biomass-to-electric plants, green hydrogen new energy storage systems, and biofuel blends at the pump.

There are many reasons we are seeing so much progress, so fast, in the world of alternative energy and why the march forward is likely unstoppable. We can delve into these game-changers, examine remaining barriers, and challenge the prevailing view of what’s possible by presenting some “what-if” scenarios that could potentially propel the renewable power sector ahead with lightning speed, perhaps far outpacing current projections, should they come to pass.

Talk to us about how we can help you to develop and deploy renewable energy generation through services ranging from strategy to business case development, project structuring, modelling, capital project reviews, supply chain optimisation, risk management, and M&A. Our team has deep industry knowledge of carbon markets and commodity price forecasting and will work closely with you to develop renewable energy policies and review programs.