The department is the lead Australian Government delegate responsible for Australia's participation in the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and engagement in its initiatives.
The CEM is a high-level global forum to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy technology, share lessons learnt and best practices, and encourage the transition to a global clean energy economy. Initiatives are based on areas of common interest among participating governments and other stakeholders.
The CEM is the only annual meeting of energy ministers dedicated to clean energy and supported by year-round work streams which span energy supply, energy demand, energy systems and cross-cutting issues.
- CEM members have prioritised clean energy advancement, currently accounting for 80% of global renewable energy investments, and participate in the CEM on a voluntary basis.
- CEM initiatives and campaigns promote the global uptake of clean energy, reduce emissions, improve energy security, provide energy access and sustain economic growth. Most initiatives involve working groups which meet throughout the year to advance the series of projects under each initiative.
- The cooperative nature of activities is a core strength of the CEM and provides a tangible way for each CEM member to achieve its own domestic clean energy goals while also contributing to a global, collaborative platform.
CEM initiatives
Australia co-leads:
- The Transforming Solar: Supply Chains initiative - boosting and diversifying global solar supply chain capacity
- The Clean Energy Solutions Centre (CESC) - providing policy advice to developing countries
- The Supercharging Battery Storage initiative - pursuing greater battery storage deployment and reduction in technology costs to support the integration of renewables globally.
Australia is an active member of these CEM initiatives:
- Hydrogen initiative
- Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative
- International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN)
- Equality in Energy Transitions initiative (formerly C3E International)
- Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage initiative
- Biofuture platform
- 21st Century Power Partnership