Australia's Green Export Opportunity
The global transition to net zero is Australia’s opportunity
Endowed with rich mineral wealth, vast land areas and unmatched solar and wind resources, Australia is uniquely positioned to be the major producer of energy-intensive products for the world.
By harnessing our comparative advantages, we can not only significantly reduce global emissions but also spark a new era of economic growth that will create new industries and jobs, securing our prosperity for generations to come.
"We estimate the annual export value of green iron to be $295 billion, or three times the current value of iron ore exports. Green aluminium exports could be worth an additional $60 billion, compared with the current value of bauxite and alumina exports of $10 billion."
TSI Submission: Unlocking green metals opportunities for a Future Made in Australia
Australia has five huge advantages in the zero-carbon economy:
The world’s best solar and wind
Australia has the best availability of wind and solar resources in the world. These abundant and consistent renewable energy sources uniquely position Australia to produce energy intensive products such as green iron, aluminium, alumina, silicon, polysilicon, feriliser and fuels.
Our national renewable resource can power industries and enable the export of energy intensive products to the world.
Vast land areas
Australia’s extensive land areas, much of which have no competing high-value economic use, are ideal for sustainable biomass production and land carbon sequestration. These lands offer a unique opportunity to absorb atmospheric carbon while supporting new industries, such as sustainable fuels and carbon farming. Landholders, including First Nations peoples, are uniquely placed to benefit.
World-leading mineral resources
Australia is the world’s largest exporter of mineral ores, such as iron, which require significant energy to convert into metals. In a zero-carbon economy, it will become more economical to produce these metals domestically, close to abundant renewable energy sources. This shift presents a major opportunity for Australia to lead in low-carbon manufacturing and export energy-intensive products to the world.
Critical energy transition minerals
Australia holds some of the world’s largest reserves of critical minerals essential for the energy transition, including lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements. Demand for these minerals is anticipated to increase 7-fold in the low carbon energy transition as they are key components in batteries, electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. Processing these minerals in Australia with renewable energy will help the world transition to new technologies with low or zero emissions.
Infrastructure and industrial culture
Australia already possesses much of the necessary infrastructure, skills and industrial culture to support the growth of green energy export industries. With a strong labour force, established expertise in mining and manufacturing, and a history of innovation, Australia is well-positioned to lead the way in developing and exporting renewable energy technologies and products.
More on Australia’s superpower opportunity
The Superpower Book Series
The Superpower series by Ross Garnaut explores Australia’s potential to lead the zero-carbon transition, combining visionary roadmaps with practical plans to harness renewable energy, turning climate action into economic advantage and positioning Australia as a green export superpower.
National Press Club Address
The Superpower Institute directors Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims present the plan to merge economic and climate policy and position Australia as a leader in the post-carbon economy.