Policy Forum - Thursday 16 March
Designing policy and regulation to create more efficient gas market outcomes
Click here for Pre-Conference In-depth Learning Sessions
08:15 | Registration and welcome coffee
09:0 | Opening remarks from the Chair
Keith Orchison, Director, Coolibah Pty Ltd
EXAMINING THE BARRIERS TO MORE EFFICIENT GAS MARKETS
09:10 | The opportunities of policy for drive more efficient gas markets - and the limitations
- What policy enablers can offset precautionary actions by financial market participants due to low yields?
- How might stranded asset risks affect investment in gas production, especially in today’s low energy price environment?
- How fast can policy enable technology and investment developments in E&P, storage, transmission and distribution?
Tony Wood, Director Energy Program, Grattan Institute
09:40 | Removing the regulatory barriers to bring in more supply and suppliers to the market
- How will gas market reform cushion the impact of higher gas prices already being felt across eastern Australia?
- Identifying the fundamentals in making the upstream domestic gas market more competitive
- Analysing the Gas Market Reform Group’s pipeline regulation and capacity trading review updates and next steps
Euan Morton, Member, Review Panel, Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets
10:10 | PANEL DISCUSSION: Policy imperatives for access
- What are the key requirements from policy to help supply come to market?
- How are each State’s gas policies determining the sweet point between competing demands of regulation environment, landowners and communities, whilst minimising prices to consumers?
- Has the ‘Use it or lose it’ policy benefitted the users?
- Assessing the market power test – is the bar set right?
Panel moderator:
Keith Orchison, Director, Coolibah Pty Ltd
Panellists:
Tony Wood, Director Energy Program, Grattan Institute
Tim Nelson, Chief Economist, AGL
Steve Davies, National Policy Manager, Australian Pipelines and Gas Association
11:00 | Morning tea
DESIGNING POLICY TO CONVERT UNSUSTAINABLE ENERGY PRACTICES INTO MORE EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY USE
11:30 | Preparing and implementing the NSW Gas Plan - pause, rest and recommence
- Using better science and information to deliver the world class regulation – putting the Chief Scientist and Engineer’s report into action
- Securing NSW gas supply needs through thorough, fair and consistent regulation approaches
- What is the range of programs the EPA has developed to encourage innovation and increase environmental performance?
Carmen Dwyer, Director, Gas Regulation Branch, NSW Environment Protection Authority
12:00 | AEMO’s recently published annual Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO)
- Outlines on gas producers forecast – annual production to decline by 122 PJ, from 600 PJ in 2017 to 478 PJ in 2021
- AEMO advises – additional production will be required to meet the needs for GPG and residential, commercial and industrial gas consumers
Nicola Falcon, Group Manager, Supply Planning, AEMO
12:30 | Networking lunch
EXAMINING THE INCREASING DEMAND SIDE ACTIVITY THAT IMPACTS POLICY DESIGN
13:30 | Capacity trading – identifying opportunities to improve market transparency and liquidity
- How transmission pipelines are increasing efficiency and information
- The impact of tariff information about gas transportation becoming publicly available
- Capacity trading and future development of trading hubs
- Aligning capacity contracts with gas production contracts – what initiatives are in review?
Steve Davies, National Policy Manager, Australian Pipelines and Gas Association
14:00 | Market update- key findings from the land mark gas price trends report
- Looking at gas price trends over the last 10 years for large industrial users and residential users
- Key findings and implications for each region
- What are the underlying price pressures over the next 5 years?
Jim Snow, Adjunct Professor Energy Initiative, University of Queensland
14:30 | Closing remarks from the Chair and drawing of the lucky door prize!
14:40 | End of Day Three, afternoon tea and close of conference