The race to net zero is about speed
Natural resources are not enough to drive Australia's renewables ambitions.
On the Tibetan Plateau in central China, a construction site the size of the MCG is being transformed into a polysilicon plant that will produce enough pure silicon to cater for ten times Australia’s annual solar deployment.
It took just six months to go from feasibility to commencement, and the construction will be complete in under two years. This pace is possible because of coordinated planning, integrated supply chains and streamlined approvals. In Australia, securing the necessary agreements and permissions can take longer than the entire build.
We are rightly proud of our world‑class solar and wind resources, our abundance of land, trusted trading relationships, and the deep capital reserves in our superannuation funds. These advantages fuel the belief that we could be a renewable energy superpower.
But natural resources are not enough. Australia is an expensive place to do business, with high labour costs, long approval timeframes, high capital costs and a small domestic market.
