From: kenjos [mailto:kenjos@josken.net]
Sent: Wednesday, 9 November 2016 5:01 PM
To: Committee, EC (SEN)
Subject: Submission to Retirement of Coal Fired Power Stations

 

Committee Secretary,

Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications,

PO Box 6100, Parliament House, Canberra A.C.T. 2600.

Email: ec.sen@aph.gov.au

                                                                    Wednesday, 9 November 2016.

From: Kendall Lovett and Mannie De Saxe,

2/12 Murphy Grove, Preston;

Correspondence to: PO Box 1675, Preston South Vic.3072.

 

SUBMISSION

to the Enquiry into

RETIREMENT OF COAL FIRED POWER STATIONS

 

A  national closure and clean energy transition plan is urgently needed to address climate change. Australia has a very old fleet of coal power plants (of which one, the dirtiest Hazelwood is scheduled to be closed by March next year 2017) that represent our single largest contribution to global warming.

 

Australia’s share of a global carbon budget to stay below 2 degrees let alone 1.5 degrees is practically non-existent and so closure of all coal power stations is a critical priority. Australia’s electricity system must be 100% renewable by 2030 if not sooner, which means kick-starting an urgent coal closure process right now.  

 

Implications for Australia of 1.5C future

by Sivan Kartha of the Stockholm Environment Institute

 

A reasonable likelihood of limiting warming to below 1.5C arguably implies a global carbon budget of less than (and perhaps significantly less than) 250 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Gt CO2) from the start of 2015. Australia’s share of this budget, by the most generous measure, equals less than six years of its current emissions.

 

Australia faces extremely costly and potentially highly disruptive impacts if global warming exceeds 1.5C or even 2C, as is almost certain without much greater mitigation efforts. An equitable and concerted global response to the climate crisis would see Australia, one of the world’s most technologically and economically developed countries, standing at the forefront. Its transformation to a post-carbon era must be rapid and comprehensive, and include diversification away from fossil extraction for energy and export.

 

Cost of closure of coal-fired power stations

 

The cost of closure, rehabilitation and support plans for communities must be found by the big companies that have profited from polluting carbon into the air for decades, not just the taxpayer. The cost of coal-fired power stations to the community has not been cheap. They are extremely expensive because coal-fired power stations waste so much to produce so little. Their efficiency in 1988 for Australia was calculated as 33.3% and probably the older they get the less efficient they become. The World Coal Association makes the claim that “moving the current average global efficiency rate of coal-fired power plants from 33% to 40% by deploying more off-the-shelf technology could cut two gigatonnes of CO2 emissions.” Note the word ‘could’ not would, it’s just a possible estimate, but even that cannot compete with solar power.

 

Replacing coal with solar

 

Interestingly, back on the 10^th May 2015, an editorial in the Sunday Age told us that “the sun is going to be around for about 7 billion years, scientists estimate. For the purposes of the human race this could be classed as eternity. Coal and oil reserves are forecast to last possibly a few centuries, at best” (and we are well into those ‘few centuries’ since we began depleting their resources). “The latter two will run out. This is not speculation. They are not renewable. The energy from the sun, while not renewable, is of such a vast reserve it does not need to be. As a measure of its size, if the sun were hollow, more than one million Earths would fit inside it. How can it then make sense not to use this source of energy?”

 

The Government must be prepared to exploit the potential of Central Australia for solar power and catch the sun as it travels from East to West to relieve the pressure of electricity generation on our cities. If the government of the day were prepared to allow the big miners to dig up uranium then it should be prepared to build the necessary infrastructure to catch the sun for our benefit.

 

Energy efficiency and replacement opportunity  

 

Improving energy efficiency of our buildings is one of the most cost-effective ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency also creates jobs and delivers a range of health benefits. Victoria’s Energy Efficiency Target scheme has been operating since 2009 and has helped to reduce electricity demand in peak periods. It’s important because lower peak demand, also mitigated by the huge increase in solar panels on so many roofs of houses and office buildings, means less strain on the system and less need of expensive poles and wires.

 

“A wonderful opportunity –and cleaner, too.” Such was the heading to a letter from Kishor Dabke, an engineer of Mount Waverley, in The Age, Monday 26 September 2016: he wrote “If Hazelwood is to be phased out or closed, it would be a great opportunity to build a concentrator solar-thermal power plant. Much of the steam turbine and generator equipment can be used as is, and the coalmine and boiler can be replaced by solar concentrators and repurposed boilers. There is ample land to build the concentrator on and the technical workforce exists to do the modification.

We could also take the advice of Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe –borrow at low interest rates and buy out the foreign owner’s (distressed) assets so that we own an important infrastructure which would provide an essential service, electricity. Oh, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions too. If we really want to step into the 21^st century, we could combine it with pumped hydro storage to overcome the variation in solar power during the day and night.”

 

We think this has possibilities but do not have the qualifications to understand whether or not it meets with the approval of those who do the sums for solar-thermal power plants.

 

Clean energy transition plan

 

A national coal closure and clean energy transition plan is urgently needed to ensure a just transition for our workers and communities. Coal-fired power stations are one of the most significant sources of toxic air pollutants that harm human health and local environments. As the inevitable transition to clean energy takes place it is critical that the states and federal governments create transparent and fair support for workers and communities in and around coal generators.

 

New National Clean Energy Plan

 

Back on the 30^th of October 2014, the then Coalition Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane wrote: “The Government is keen to see nearly 200 programs across a range of technologies meeting milestones and contributing to the advancement of the renewable energy industry. Through CSIRO’s Energy Flagship, the Government is supporting a group of around 350 scientists to pursue a dedicated energy research program that will help enable Australia’s energy transition. Several other ways we’re supporting transition within our energy sector is by continuing to provide $900 million worth of commitments under the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to support a range of risky renewable energy projects, $2.25 billion into Industry programs for innovation across all sectors, $2.1 million through the Solar Towns Programme to support households who chose solar as a way to reduce their power bills and $2.55 billion through the Emissions Reduction Fund to encourage emissions abatement activities through low cost effective and practical solutions.  

 

“The Coalition Government will not make changes that will impact on those who have already made an investment –small or large—under the Renewable Energy Target. This means that regardless of the final outcome of the negotiations on the RET, nothing will change for those who have installed roof top solar and large scale investments such as wind farms or hydro power stations will be protected. We’ve committed $1 billion through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for the research and development of new renewable energy technology concepts. On this basis it is reasonable to assume no jobs will be lost.”

 

So there was a Coalition plan but in the change over from one Coalition prime minister to another Coalition prime minister it got the boot. We need a new plan quick-smart.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Right now we are living with the consequences of bad decisions, discredited ideas and short-term thinking as well as the subsidised destruction by the big polluters. Let’s get it right this time –a national clean energy plan, not coal, and certainly not nuclear. 

It is necessary for us to remember that of the 28 members of the European Union (EU), 21 have exceeded the indicative renewable energy distribution for 2015-2016.(Renewable energy in Europe 2016: European Environment Agency).