Recently, Australian state and federal officials, industry leaders, and international experts convened in Sydney at the third annual Eastern Australian Energy Markets Outlook conference to assess the prospects for the energy supply chain in Australia vis-à-vis their international competitors, including the United States. As long-time military allies and economic partners that share a strong diplomatic… Keep reading →
As consumers we have an abundance of choices. We can choose among competing stores selling competing products. If we don’t want to drive to the store, we can go online and purchase what we need and have it delivered to our door.
We have choices among phone and Internet service providers, and choices among devices competing to provide phone and Internet services. We’ve come to take for granted choices among competing providers for just about every product and service we consume. Keep reading →
“Choice,” perhaps better than any other word, describes the American marketplace for most consumer goods and services. From aisles-full of options in the grocery store, to automobile packages designed for almost every consumer preference, many Americans would say they do not lack for choices when it comes to most of their potential purchases.
There is one sector, however, in which choice has traditionally not been available – energy. Since the late 19th century, utility companies have been granted geographic monopolies to provide electricity and natural gas to consumers. For decades, the energy supplied to one’s home or business was pre-determined without any consumer input. Keep reading →
