Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?

• In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act.
• China, of course, moved first, and dominates the market for most clean energy products, from solar panels to wind turbines and batteries.
• For Australia, efforts to reshore manufacturing and stimulate new industries should focus on supporting and stimulating regions.
• If they becomes reality, these plans present a rare chance to make our regions into sustainable economic powerhouses.

Boosting the regions

• The developer could employ locals, and – if efforts to bring back manufacturing pay off – locally made components could be used wherever possible.
• This is why the proposed Future Made In Australia Act is a very real opportunity to deliver energy justice for our regions and rural communities.
• Queensland might be a first mover here by legally defining social license and requiring renewable energy developers to engage with communities.
• Read more:
  Made in America: how Biden's climate package is fuelling the global drive to net zero

Could Australian-made really work?

• There’s a low chance we will go directly head-to-head with green energy giants such as China.
• For instance, we’re already one of the world’s top per capita users of solar, and our food exports are highly regarded.
• Australia has world-leading solar photovoltaic expertise, which we could tap into to create custom-designed agrivoltaics solutions, co-designed with farmers.

• The timing is good – the World Economic Forum earlier this year called for better financing and development of these types of technologies.
• Like agrivoltaics, these kinds of inventions offer double benefits – cut carbon emissions, boost farm productivity.

We should use our comparative advantages

• But what is clear is it represents a real chance for our regional and rural communities to lead the energy transition.
• And we can do it while uplifting the regional and rural communities which will play home to this transition.

Madeline Taylor is a Clean Energy Council Chloe Munro Scholar, is a Fellow at the Climate Council, and is on the Board of REAlliance,