One of the world’s experts on energy economics, Dr Fereidoon Sioshansi, is coming to Armidale, to share his insights on how cheaper home-generated energy is the way of the future.

Dr Sioshansi will argue that the advent of cheaper home-generation or “distributed generation” could sound the death knell for high-tariff grid supply systems around the world, with more countries to follow as clean generation technologies become cheaper and more widespread.

“Advances in technology, coupled with rapidly falling costs, are allowing a growing number of customers to self-generate some or most of the electricity they need – bypassing the grid-supplied electricity,” he said.

“For the first time in history, some residential consumers in Australia are able to meet virtually all their service needs through self-generation at costs that are on par or lower than the grid-supplied variety.

“This phenomenon can be expected to spread as the cost of distributed generation (electricity generation from many small sources) continues to fall while the cost of grid-supplied electricity is projected to rise.”

He said businesses would not generate enough to cover their usage, so there would still need to be electricity grids – an issue which the energy industry would need to address.

Dr Sioshansi will present his public lecture – “The impact of decentralised electricity generation on utility business models” on Thursday between 1pm and 2.30pm, in UNE’s Wright Lecture Theatre.