Energy Minister Chris Bowen calls it the “all-too-hardism” clouding Australia’s must-do transition to a cleaner electricity system.

On the first day of The Australian Financial Review’s Energy & Climate Summit, Mr Bowen’s opening address took issue with what he characterises as a pessimistic narrative about a troubled and costly transition. This narrative is driven by stories such as Norwegian company Equinor pulling out of the running to operate an offshore wind farm off the south coast of NSW, or Andrew Forrest’s decision to scale back Fortescue Metal Group’s green hydrogen ambitions.