The Victoria Energy Policy Centre (VEPC) is a research centre focussing on policy challenges in energy in Australia, with a particular focus on Victoria.
The VEPC's core research discipline is economics, but we encourage collaboration between experts from different academic traditions. We combine academically rigorous research and analysis, with a practical understanding of government processes.
Recent Reports and Working Papers MORE >
Wrong way, go back
An analysis of the economics and greenhouse gas impact of Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation
By Bruce Mountain, Director, VEPC and Steven Percy, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC
Download the working paper (3.3mbs) by clicking on the image (left).
Do households respond to Time-Of-Use tariffs? Evidence from Australia
A Working Paper by Kelly Burns, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC and Bruce Mountain, Director, VEPC
We estimate the elasticity of substitution for households on Time-Of-Use (TOU) tariffs using a sample of 6,957 electricity bills from households in Victoria, Australia.
Download the working paper (535kbs) by clicking on the image (left).
Rooftop photovoltaics and electricity distributors: who wins and who loses?
A Working Paper by Bruce Mountain, Director, VEPC, Steven Percy, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC, and Kelly Burns, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC.
We analyse 48,677 residential electricity bills of which 7,212 have installed rooftop photovoltaics (PV) to determine the impact of rooftop PV on network charges and on wholesale market prices. We find rooftop PV pushes down prices in wholesale markets far more than it raises prices for the provision of network services.
Download the working paper (239kbs) by clicking on the image (left).
A model for the estimation of residential rooftop photovoltaic capacity
A Working Paper by Bruce Mountain, Director, VEPC, Amine Gassem, AG-Study, Kelly Burns, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC, and Steven Percy, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC
Estimates of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) capacity, by region and postcode, is publicly available in Australia. However, data on individual households’ rooftop PV capacity is not publicly available. This is valuable in price comparison and research, for example analysing the impact of rooftop solar in wholesale markets and on networks.
Download the working paper (577kbs) by clicking on the image (left).
Loyalty taxes in retail electricity markets: not as they seem?
A Working Paper by Bruce Mountain, Director, VEPC, and Kelly Burns, Senior Research Fellow, VEPC
A common view in retail electricity markets is that retailers discriminate based on consumers’ loyalty: loyal consumers pay more. The premium is colloquially known as a “loyalty tax” or “loyalty premium”. Reflecting this understanding Australia’s governments, regulators and consumer advocates have encouraged consumers to switch electricity retailers. Our findings suggest the loyalty tax is (typically) smaller than widely considered, that it varies across tiers of retailers and that even engaged consumers typically do not select the lowest priced offers. This raises the question of whether switchers are motivated by other factors as well as lower bills or whether the main challenge is difficulties in search.
Download the working paper (523kbs) by clicking on the image (left).
Ensuring reliable electricity supply in Victoria to 2028: suggested policy changes
A report by Bruce Mountain, VEPC Director, and Dr Steven Percy, VEPC Research Fellow.
This report looks at whether markets and regulations will ensure reliable electricity in Victoria over the coming decade, and examines the power system to understand the effect of renewable electricity expansion, and the possible closure of Alcoa's Portland smelter.
Download the report (2.3mb) by clicking on the image (left).