South Australia has achieved a lot since it began the transition to renewable energy in the early 2000s. Most remarkably perhaps, almost 70 per cent of the state’s energy production is currently from renewable sources, including rooftop solar.

Now, the State Government is looking to consult with South Australians as the state moves toward net zero by 2050.

Department for Energy and Mining energy and technical regulation executive director Vince Duffy is one of those leading the transformation and urging everyone to read the Green Paper and have their say.

Duffy said, in addition to renewables’ dominance, the state has seen a significant reduction in fossil fuel use (aka the stationary energy sector) and strong savings in emissions arising from changes in land use.

“But other sectors are not necessarily declining. You’ve got transport, and those sorts of sectors, that are actually still on the increase,” he said.

“Electrification of them will help to abate their emissions, but then the load of electrification going into the renewable energy sector will have implications.

“The Green Paper is really highlighting ten different sectors – from transport to education to natural gas – and how their changes will feed back and have implications for energy going forward to 2050.”

While there will be challenges, Duffy said he believes the technology exists to solve them and the key question is how to deliver it within a framework going forward.

“The focus of the green paper, white paper process is – how do we take that long journey to net zero?” Duffy said.

“The benefit from our perspective is that we will solve the trilemma of affordable power, reliable power and sustainable energy.

“And in trying to solve that trilemma, the real opportunity is that we can have a future with advanced manufacturing that is green, a green transport sector, and housing that is comfortable and affordable to live in, but doesn’t create enormous emissions.”

He gave the example of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as an existing technology that can contribute to achieving net zero by helping to reduce fugitive emissions in the state’s natural gas industry.

The technology is considered an essential part of the lowest cost path toward meeting global climate targets. A discussion of natural gas and CCS is included at 3.5 in the Green Paper.

While technologies such as this are explained in the green paper, Duffy said his department was not recommending anything yet.

“We’re actually going through a very traditional model of policy development [and] seeking engagement from the community on potential solutions, what the challenges are, what the opportunities are,” he said.

“This will then help feed into the government making a white paper to then come back with policy initiatives that help that transition to net zero.

“In the Green Paper, we’ve put forward a range of case studies […] to flag the opportunities and provide some ideas and context for the community to engage with us.”

Green hydrogen is another energy source that the state has shown early expertise in and for which the government is asking for public input.

Hydrogen Park SA (HyP SA) in the Tonsley Innovation District is home to what is currently Australia’s largest electrolyser at 1.25MW, while the recent state budget has allocated $593 million over four years to establish a new hydrogen facility in the Whyalla region.

As well as asking for feedback and ideas on new energy sources, the Green Paper also asks how the challenges and opportunities around climate change could impact or improve health and social equity, particularly among disadvantaged groups.

Duffy is optimistic that all today’s challenges can be overcome.

A baby born today, he said, could look forward to a “low emissions future and its accompanying opportunities” for economic and jobs growth.

“We’ve demonstrated over time that you can have economic growth while lowering emissions,” Duffy said.

“We’re confident that we can go forward and have that trilemma solved [and] have all the services that people want.

“To have lights and heating, run the television, run other appliances – and for that not to produce emissions and cause further detriment to the global climate.”

Duffy reiterated his call for South Australians to have their say on the Green Paper on South Australia’s Energy Transition.

“You want to help make this transition, so that we can go to net zero and beyond in the future.”