This is the ninth interim report of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) inquiry into gas supply arrangements in Australia. The ACCC has continued its focus on the operation of the East Coast Gas Market, where there are immediate and longer-term concerns.

In this series of publications, the authors provide short overviews of five main sources of electricity, and one of the main storage options. Each paper briefly explains the relevant technologies and international trends, and some of the opportunities and constraints that apply to their use in Australia.

A study, purported to be from the CSIRO, that showed that fracking was “safe for the environment” was actually overseen by the gas industry, and was based on just six of Queensland’s 19,000 coal seam gas wells, according to this analysis by The Australia Institute.

The Northern Territory has embraced a target of net zero emissions by 2050 and hydrogen can play a central role in its realisation. This strategy articulates the potential hydrogen opportunities, the Territory’s competitive advantages and how the Territory can leverage these to be a centre of hydrogen technology research, production and use in Australia.

This report provides an accessible review of the transmission and distribution networks and energy retail markets in eastern and southern Australia over 2019 and the early months of 2020.