On 24 October 2024, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, International Development and the Pacific announced the release of the Defence Future Energy Strategy for platform and materiel capability.
The strategy forms part of Defence’s broader energy transition approach and is complementary to the Defence Net Zero Strategy, which focuses on practical ways to reduce emissions and decrease the environmental impact of Defence’s activities, with initial action concentrating on the Defence estate.
The strategy and associated implementation plan will provide the framework for Group and Service energy transition activities. This will ensure Defence takes full advantage of the opportunities to:
- Collaborate with allies and industry partners regarding adoption of alternative energy types to maintain interoperability.
- Enable sovereign alternative energy production capabilities, thus strengthening national energy security.
- Maximise value for money by transitioning from increasingly expensive fossil fuels to emerging commercial alternatives over the long term.
- Link alternative energy adoption to the capability system to ensure integration and compatibility and minimise sustainment complexity.
The strategy is the first step in Defence maintaining capability and interoperability, while contributing to the Australian Government’s decarbonisation commitments.