The Real cost of Net Zero

As the green dream collides with a cold reality, Chris Uhlmann uncovers the high-stakes gamble that could leave Australia in the dark.

In this Sky News Australia investigation, veteran journalist Chris Uhlmann exposes the friction between Australia’s net-zero ambitions and the reality of a straining grid. As the nation races toward a 2030 renewable target, Uhlmann questions if the promise of cheap, clean energy is a visionary leap or a looming economic catastrophe that threatens the country's foundational stability.

The documentary reveals the hidden toll on Australian households, where soaring bills and energy rationing are becoming a new reality. Uhlmann uncovers a startling paradox: the environmental destruction caused by clearing ancient forests for wind farms and the massive financial burden of building a "life support system" of batteries and transmission lines to back up intermittent weather-dependent power.

Moving beyond the light switch, the film explores the true complexity of de-carbonizing essential industries like steel and agriculture. With nuclear energy banned and domestic gas supplies dwindling, Uhlmann asks if the pursuit of ideological targets is worth the sacrifice of Australia’s economic sovereignty. It is a high-stakes reckoning for a nation unprepared for the ultimate price of net zero.