Calling wannabe time travellers

Ever wondered what your future holds? Fame, fortune, a world powered by low-carbon energy? Australians can now take a peek at what will power Australia in 2050 with just the click of a mouse.

Coinciding with the release of the Australian Government’s Energy White Paper, CSIRO has released eFuture, a website where you can use one of Australia’s leading energy modelling tools to experience firsthand the energy scenarios presented in the paper. Take a look at the choices we face and how they impact Australia’s electricity costs, technology mix and carbon emissions.

The Director of CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship, Dr Alex Wonhas, explains how eFuture helps people understand our rapidly changing energy environment.

“Australia will undergo a huge transformation in the energy sector over the next 35 years where a greater number and more diverse mix of electricity sources are likely to be powering our homes, businesses and industry,” Dr Wonhas said.

“eFuture help us to understand just some of possible pathways before us and what it could mean for technology development, the economy and the environment.”

eFuture brings together extensive data about Australia’s energy sector in a readily accessible and interactive tool. Users are prompted to make choices on electricity demand, fuel price and technology type and see how that impacts Australia’s energy future.

eFuture uses scenario information based on the Australian Government’s Energy White Paper and the latest Australian Energy Technology Assessment (AETA) by the Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics (BREE). The tool is a snapshot of CSIRO’s complex modelling research that government and industry uses to inform decisions about energy investment and policy.

“We anticipate that industry, government and research organisations will find eFuture really useful; however, anyone can use it - we want as many people as possible exploring Australia’s energy future,” Dr Wonhas said.

Visit eFuture at www.efuture.csiro.au.