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6 responses to tackle the energy crisis
6 things Australia should do to tackle the energy crisis rather than just building bigger fuel reserves
Article by Peter Newman and Ray Wills, published in The Conversation April 8, 2026 4.14am AEST
6 things a credible fuel plan should include
A credible fuel-security strategy for Australia must ensure provision of short-term liquid fuel stocks, especially for critical services such as freight and farming as well as remote communities and defence. But it must go much further than that. It should include:
A clear timeframe to electrify most new road transport vehicles, supported by strong fuel efficiency and emissions standards so Australian vehicles no longer lag the world.
A program to boost uptake of electric trucks, following China’s example. Megawatt charging stations or battery swapping sites will be needed, and requiring service stations to have truck chargers could help.
Accelerate renewables and storage deployment so that clean local energy pushes out largely imported oil and gas.
Use EVs and stationary batteries to boost energy resilience in a coordinated way. The large batteries of EVs can act as movable storage able to power communities and critical infrastructure during supply shocks or power outages due to extreme weather. Large batteries could be delivered by train.
Accelerate use of Australian-produced biofuels such as canola oil to replace jet fuel and the bunker fuel used by large ships. Build supporting infrastructure in ports and airports.
Plan for the orderly decline of oil. Ensure any extra fuel reserves are targeted, modest and focused on genuine national interest uses, rather than prolonging business-as-usual use of petrol, diesel, jet fuel and bunker fuel.