Spain blackout shows need for gas in a greener world: Woodside CEO
Australian oil and gas giant Woodside Energy has pointed to crippling blackouts that left millions without electricity across Europe last month as a 'forceful reminder' for the Albanese government to prioritise energy security alongside goals to switch to cleaner sources of power.
While authorities are still searching for the cause of the unprecedented loss of power in Spain, Portugal and southern France on April 28, Woodside, the largest Australian gas producer, has seized on the consequences of the disruption to drive home the importance of ensuring reliable energy supplies.
'What we can see with certainty is that these events reinforce the need to focus on energy security and energy affordability as well as – and not instead of – emissions reduction,' Woodside chief Meg O'Neill will tell the Australian Energy Producers conference in Brisbane on Tuesday.
'When we lose sight of any one of these, all three are at risk.'
As investigations continue, some analysts and commentators have raised questions about the Spanish grid's rapid shift to solar farms and wind turbines, which account for more than half of the country's electricity, and which can make it more challenging to balance fluctuations in supply and demand.
Loading
Rystad Energy analyst Pratheeksha Ramdas said: 'Spain's high renewable penetration exposed difficulties in balancing intermittent supply, while Portugal's complete reliance on imports underscored its lack of flexibility and energy storage.'
Spain's grid operator, Red Electrica, and government leaders have denied any link to the expansion of wind and solar power.
O'Neill's comments on the European blackouts come as Australian oil and gas executives seek to press the Albanese government to focus in its second term on making it cheaper and easier to drill for fossil fuels. Actions they are seeking include cuts to red tape, a simplification of environmental permitting and greater clarification on who must be consulted over offshore oil and gas projects to avoid ambiguity and 11th-hour lawsuits that force costly delays.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
UK bans disposable vapes to stop litter, children's use
A ban on disposable vapes has come into force across the UK as the British government aims to stem their use by children, reduce litter and prevent the leaking of harmful chemicals into the environment. The ban makes it illegal for any retailer — online or in-store — to sell vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not as of Sunday. They will still be able to sell reusable vapes. The crackdown follows the soaring use of disposable vapes in schools and a rising tide of trash as users dispose of the vapes. It is estimated that as many as five million disposable vapes are thrown in bins or littered every week across the UK, rather than being recycled. A number of countries are seeking to regulate the vape market, which has grown exponentially over the past decade or so. Australia outlawed the sale of vapes outside pharmacies last year in some of the world's toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes, while Belgium became the first European Country to ban the use of disposable vapes at the start of this year. California has been at the forefront of bringing in new regulations in the US The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said usage among young people remained too high, and the ban would "put an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation's streets." Also known as single-use vapes, disposable vapes are non-refillable and unable to be recharged, and are typically thrown away with general waste or just thrown on the street. Even when they are recycled, they need to be taken apart by hand, while their batteries are a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment and potentially harming wildlife. Businesses were given six months to prepare for the change by selling any existing stock. Rogue traders who continue to sell them risk a fine of 200 pounds ($A419) in the first instance, followed by an unlimited fine or jail time for repeat offending. The UK Vaping Industry Association said its members had moved quickly to comply with the June 1 deadline, but warned of "serious unintended consequences" emanating from too much regulation. "We are concerned that this ban will encourage former smokers who have already transitioned from cigarettes, which kill 220 people every day in the UK, to return to combustible tobacco or opt for unregulated vapes," said its director general, John Dunne. Separately, the British government is legislating to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes.
Canberra Times
2 hours ago
- Canberra Times
UK bans disposable vapes to stop litter, children's use
A number of countries are seeking to regulate the vape market, which has grown exponentially over the past decade or so. Australia outlawed the sale of vapes outside pharmacies last year in some of the world's toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes, while Belgium became the first European Country to ban the use of disposable vapes at the start of this year. California has been at the forefront of bringing in new regulations in the US
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
UK bans disposable vapes to stop litter, children's use
A ban on disposable vapes has come into force across the UK as the British government aims to stem their use by children, reduce litter and prevent the leaking of harmful chemicals into the environment. The ban makes it illegal for any retailer — online or in-store — to sell vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not as of Sunday. They will still be able to sell reusable vapes. The crackdown follows the soaring use of disposable vapes in schools and a rising tide of trash as users dispose of the vapes. It is estimated that as many as five million disposable vapes are thrown in bins or littered every week across the UK, rather than being recycled. A number of countries are seeking to regulate the vape market, which has grown exponentially over the past decade or so. Australia outlawed the sale of vapes outside pharmacies last year in some of the world's toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes, while Belgium became the first European Country to ban the use of disposable vapes at the start of this year. California has been at the forefront of bringing in new regulations in the US The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said usage among young people remained too high, and the ban would "put an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation's streets." Also known as single-use vapes, disposable vapes are non-refillable and unable to be recharged, and are typically thrown away with general waste or just thrown on the street. Even when they are recycled, they need to be taken apart by hand, while their batteries are a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment and potentially harming wildlife. Businesses were given six months to prepare for the change by selling any existing stock. Rogue traders who continue to sell them risk a fine of 200 pounds ($A419) in the first instance, followed by an unlimited fine or jail time for repeat offending. The UK Vaping Industry Association said its members had moved quickly to comply with the June 1 deadline, but warned of "serious unintended consequences" emanating from too much regulation. "We are concerned that this ban will encourage former smokers who have already transitioned from cigarettes, which kill 220 people every day in the UK, to return to combustible tobacco or opt for unregulated vapes," said its director general, John Dunne. Separately, the British government is legislating to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes.
