Posts filed under ‘National Electricity Market’
Submission to Climate Change Authority – policies necessary to achieve Australia’s commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement
Climate Action Tracker June 2019 assessment.
Climate Action Moreland prepared the following submission (PDF) to the Climate Change Authority focussing on three sectors: agriculture, energy (electricity) , and transport. These are key areas for Australia to implement climate policy to achieve reduction in emissions to meet Australia’s commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement. We appreciate the Climate Change Authority collating this information, even though the present conservative government largely ignores the independent advice of this Authority.
Under the Paris Agreement Australia needs to submit a new Nationally Determined Contribution document that outlines all targets and policies to achieve our targets, by early 2020. No backtracking is acceptable (this is written into the agreement as well) This is the ratchet (ambition) mechanism of the Paris Agreement. On current commitments the world is heading for an average temperature rise of between 2.4 degrees to 3.8 degrees Celsius by 2100, as calculated by the Climate Action Tracker website. Australia’s effort is rated as ‘Insufficient’.
Submission: National Energy Guarantee needs to enable energy transition
Climate Action Moreland has made a submission to the Energy Security Board on the National Energy Guarantee. Our criticism/suggestions revolve around: the need for Demand Response to be prioritised; no undermining or restrictions on state emission reduction targets; Voluntary action must be considered additional to targets; no offsets should be allowed for the electricity sector; Flexible Compliance – Limit the Carrying Forward of Over-achievement; and Setting Emissions Target as an Absolute Value vs Percentage.
The Guarantee was considered by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council at its last meeting in November 2017 which agreed that further development work and public consultation should be conducted.
We think, in it’s current form, the National Energy Guarantee will embed coal and gas fired generation and restrict the growth of renewables, holding back the energy transition.
We need a rapid transition of the electricity sector as this sector is more easily decarbonised than other sectors, and will also enable the transport sector to then be decarbonised through electrification and battery power.
Our submission follows:
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Turnbull’s National Energy Guarantee policy prolongs coal hinders renewables
NEG compared. Courtesy: Environment Victoria
Malcolm Turnbull has rejected the Chief Scientist recommendation of a Clean Energy Target and given us a National Energy Guarantee in it’s place which will mostly focus on reliability and affordability with limited emissions reduction.
This policy is guaranteed to keep coal and gas playing a substantial role in electricity production and act to slow down the take up of renewables, batteries and other despatchable technologies such as pumped hydro and solar thermal.
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Energy Efficiency mandatory standards a no-brainer
Climate Action Moreland member had a letter published in the Age on Saturday emphasising the importance of reducing energy usage through energy efficiency programs, including introduction of mandatory standards.
Andrea Bunting: Letters to the Editor, The Age
The Finkel Review: Not Just a CET – It’s Actually About Keeping the Lights on
On June 8, the much anticipated Finkel Review (Blueprint for the Future: Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market) was released. Much has already been written about the merits of the proposed emission reduction mechanism (a “Clean Energy Target”) and whether this would satisfy the Coalition, why it didn’t advocate a stronger emission reduction target, nor a swift end to coal.
But this was not the aim of the Finkel Review. It was about fixing up the National Electricity Market (NEM). The alternative to fixing the NEM may well be a return to public ownership and control. Although this could be a good thing, it is not on the governments’ agenda right now. Agreement on an emission reduction mechanism was regarded as an important step in getting new private sector investment, mainly in gas-fired power stations, so the market would operate as intended.
Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 