Australia Supports Hi-Tech Coal Plants

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) survey of 1300 people showed 68 per cent of Australians supported new-generation coal power through high efficiency, low emissions (HELE) coal-fired generation.

MCA executive director of coal, Greg Evans, said the goal of Australia’s energy and climate policy framework should be to deliver reliable energy at the least-possible cost, while meeting emissions-reduction objectives.

“Achieving this goal means applying a technology-neutral approach to all energy sources while avoiding … non-market-oriented interventions,” he said.

Mr Evans said a study showed HELE black coal was the lowest-cost generation option at $40-$78 a megawatt hour, compared to gas-powered electricity at $69-$115 a MWh. HELE coal-fired generators emit 20-25 per cent less CO2 than the average of existing power stations.

Global resources analyst Wood Mackenzie said Asia would invest $US250 billion ($A320 billion) in coal power over the next decade.

“Although coal-fired power is facing strong headwinds globally, it will still dominate emerging markets in Asia in the next two decades as power demand in South-East Asia is expected to grow at about 4.6 per cent a year,’’ Wood Mackenzie’s Shirley Zhang said.

“A more imminent risk is perhaps the way a power system will be operated and maintained when renewables’ share grows in the future.

“Coal power could be reduced to a marginal fuel when commercial energy storage takes over its role as a more economic peak-shaving service provider. But this could take decades.’’