Coal gone by 2038 but renewables investment is key
Renewable energy is the cherry on top of a 25-year plan to secure Australia’s future 100% free of coal-generation where grid-scale renewables, storage and distributed solar, backed by gas, will secure the national electricity market for a predicted 313 TWh of demand by 2050.
Western Australia to exit coal by 2029 in response to competition from solar
Western Australia is set to exit coal-fired power by the end of the decade as state-owned power provider Synergy will close its two remaining coal plants by 2029 in response. Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said coal was no longer viable due to the high-penetration of solar, particularly rooftop. McGowan also announced a $662 million boost for the coal-town of Collie’s industrial transition and $3.8 billion in statewide renewable investment, with a focus on energy storage.
WoodMac calls for investment in grid flexibility through more ambitious RET
Wood Mackenzie has called on policymakers to revise the Renewable Energy Target with more ambitious goals and, concordantly, large-scale investment in grid flexibility to ensure new renewables can join the grid. If we don’t act in this pivotal moment, WoodMac believes we will be left holding stranded assets.
Decommissioning coal – an opportunity for energy storage?
Coal has underpinned power generation for more than a century as a cheap, reliable and well understood technology, writes IHS Markit analyst George Hilton. Decommissioning of coal generation, in light of global efforts to reduce carbon emissions, will radically change the energy landscape and potentially leave a substantial gap to be filled by energy storage technologies.
