Key messages

•  Energy, particularly electricity, underpins the Australian way of life. The grid is an essential infrastructure backbone that will only become more vital as more services, such as transport, start to rely on electricity.

•  The grid is transforming from a centralised one-way service to a decentralised two-way system.

•  Getting this transformation right is a major opportunity to shape a smarter, more affordable and more reliable energy system. However, it will take national coordination and consumer participation.

•  State and territory energy departments and the energy industry can help improve affordability by demonstrating the value of smart meters to customers.

•  The industry should incentivise smart meter installation, accompanied by customereducation; user-friendly digital and mobile tools displaying electricity consumption; and a default time-of-use tariff with an opt-out option and exceptions for vulnerable customers.

•  Enabling zero-emission vehicle uptake by customers at scale is complex, requiring close cross-sector planning and coordination between the electricity and transport industries.

•  Smart regulation will deliver the future grid sooner and more cheaply.

•  Electricity transmission reforms should be accelerated so low-emission generation can be connected efficiently to the grid.

•  The regulatory investment test for the electricity network should be streamlined to reduce project delivery timeframes without compromising the robustness of investment decisions.