Executive summary

Australia is undergoing a major expansion of its energy infrastructure to address the climate crisis, enhance energy independence and support the “Future Made in Australia” agenda. Current progress is insufficient; under existing policy settings, the nation is on track for a 51% emissions reduction by 2035, falling short of the 62-70% target. To meet these goals, the rate of infrastructure deployment must reach an inflection point. This requires a six-fold increase in generation build-out, a five-fold acceleration of transmission projects, and a ten-fold increase in utility-scale storage capacity compared to historical levels. The report calls for a “warp speed” policy agenda to be adopted as a national Cabinet-level priority (Recommendation 1).

Australia’s current progress towards a low-carbon energy system

Hitting the 2035 emissions target requires halving current emissions, which necessitates a lift in reduction efforts from the current average of 8 Mt CO2-e per year to approximately 20-25 Mt per year. Over half of the required cuts can be achieved by shifting to a renewables-based electricity system. According to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) “Step Change” scenario, grid-scale variable renewable energy must increase six-fold by 2050, alongside 6,000 km of new transmission and a quadrupling of dispatchable storage. For instance, utility-scale solar needs to add as much new capacity in the next three years as it did over the previous decade to stay on track.

A warp speed approach to grid-scale energy infrastructure deployment

The report draws lessons from rapid industrial mobilisations, such as the US “Operation Warp Speed” for COVID-19 vaccines and China’s recent renewable deployment, which added 446 GW of capacity in a single year. Achieving similar acceleration in Australia requires coordinated strategic reform across four domains: workforce, development approvals, capital flows, and supply chains. This shift requires moving beyond marginal efficiency improvements of 5-10% to fundamental systemic change.

Doubling the energy workforce pipeline

Australia faces a critical infrastructure workforce shortage of 300,000 workers by 2027. Demand for specific roles, such as electrical engineers, is expected to triple by 2029. To expand training capacity, state and territory governments should establish recurring capital grant programmes for training infrastructure (Recommendation 2). The Commonwealth should ensure sufficient apprentice placements by imposing quotas for larger businesses (Recommendation 3) and expanding the Australian Skills Guarantee to all major publicly financed energy projects (Recommendation 4). To improve mobility, the report recommends harmonising interstate licensing for clean-energy occupations (Recommendation 5) and creating a national digital skills passport (Recommendation 6). Regional shortages should be addressed via dedicated VET hubs in Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) (Recommendation 7) and by reducing visa costs for “Skills in Demand” roles (Recommendation 8), ensuring clear pathways to permanent residency (Recommendation 9).

Halving timeframes for development approvals

Development and environmental approvals currently take over four years for onshore wind and two years for solar. The report advocates for halving these timeframes through expedited approval pathways (Recommendation 10) and the use of legislated authorities, such as a Coordinator General Office, to streamline processes (Recommendation 11). Integrated case management should be provided throughout a project’s lifecycle (Recommendation 12). To limit delays, ministers should direct regulators to encourage faster approvals (Recommendation 13) and limit requests for information (RFIs) to one per stage (Recommendation 14). Community engagement should be refined to give those directly impacted a proportionately greater voice (Recommendation 15). Furthermore, the use of standardised, industry-specific assessment requirements (Recommendation 16) and technical handbooks as common standards (Recommendation 17) would reduce the need for iterative surveys and data collection.

Encouraging capital to flow where it is needed most

The binding constraint is not a lack of capital but its effective allocation. The report recommends establishing the Electricity Services Entry Mechanism (ESEM) to close the “tenor gap” for clean energy projects and commissioning an independent review into transmission market operation (Recommendation 18). Policy interventions should ensure that green energy purchases by heavy users lead to additional investment in generation (Recommendation 19). The Safeguard Mechanism should be expanded to provide sufficient price signals for renewable investment (Recommendation 20). Additionally, government investment vehicles should be mandated to fund higher-risk first-mover “anchor” generation projects in priority regions (Recommendation 21). Superannuation regulations should be reformed to allow funds to benchmark against transition-aligned market indices (Recommendation 22).

Securing supply of key hardware and materials

Australia currently imports approximately 80% of its electrical equipment. Specialist hardware like transformers faced lead times of 120 weeks in 2024. The report suggests negotiating a national multi-year, multi-project procurement framework to secure global supply (Recommendation 23). To reduce reliance on imports, the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) and Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) should develop a 10-year programme of targeted support for domestic manufacturing of critical grid components, such as transmission towers and cables (Recommendation 24).

Conclusion

Achieving a smooth decarbonisation of the energy system requires a deep systematic change and a whole-of-government effort. Success depends on National Cabinet leaders collectively driving a strategic agenda for “warp speed” deployment, ensuring that every minister and agency is aligned with the same high-level objectives for national and economic security.