Here is a brief round up of some of the international media coverage on yesterday’s release of Australia’s electricity roadmap (The AEMO ISP):
Climate Council:
“AEMO Report: We can Transition to Renewables without new Gas”
? Australia can rapidly transition to 90% renewable energy in the 2030s, with the modelling showing coal can be rapidly replaced with no need for any new gas-fired generation.
Yahoo Finance Canada:
“Australia Sees $10 Billion Opportunity to Harness Solar and Wind”
? AEMO’s plan seeks to address slowing renewable energy investment due to the limitations of weak grid connection in areas with strong natural resources, advocating projects including the Hume Link in New South Wales, and Marinus Link, which will establish a second undersea cable between Tasmania and the mainland to give the island state’s abundant wind and hydro resources access to urban centres in the southeast.
ABC:
“Renewables could power most of Australia by 2040, Australian Energy Market Operator plan shows”
? By 2040, AEMO is projecting that two thirds of coal-fired power generation is likely to be retired, opening the way for a 200 per cent increase in household solar and batteries and increased reliance on grid-scale solar and wind, along with pumped hydro. Gas could play a larger role, according to the report, but only if the prices remained low at between $4 and $6 per gigajoule.
Ecogeneration:
“AEMO Integrated System Plan 2020 a green light for renewables, DER, storage”
? Possibly most important to the realisation of its masterplan is a rebuild of the transmission grid, with strategically placed interconnectors and renewable energy zones (REZs), coupled with firming resources, to add capacity and balance variable resources across the NEM.
The Guardian:
“New gas-fired power not needed as renewable energy expands, grid operator says”
? Renewable energy may at times provide nearly 90% of electricity by 2035 and the amount of gas-fired power will fall as pumped hydro and batteries come online, and there is no place for new coal-fired generation. AEMO says the plan focuses on what is best for consumers and could deliver an average $11bn in net market benefits across all scenarios considered, but will require major investment in new transmission lines.
