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https://reneweconomy.com.au/renewable-delays-and-stepping-on-the-gas-needlessly-cost-australians-115-billion/>
"Gas-fired power generation is a bridge (short one), not a destination between
our fossil fuel era and Australia’s uniquely bright clean energy future.
However, new modelling highlights how important it is that the bridge is short.
The reality is, building more gas plants isn’t guaranteed in the global energy
race, and delays only add unnecessary costs for households, businesses, and the
nation.
New analysis by Nexa Advisory shows that delays to the build out of renewable
energy generation, transmission, and storage to back up wind and solar, risks
an over reliance on expensive gas-fired generation. This would mean wholesale
costs totalling $115.7 billion more than getting this right, and achieving an
‘orderly transition’.
There is no getting away from the fact that, even in Australia, the sun doesn’t
shine and the wind doesn’t blow 24/7. So, in a National Electricity Market
increasingly dominated by clean and renewable energy sources, we will need
significant storage capacity and a ‘back up’ power source.
Gas-fired generation is part of that solution — but a small part. Gas plants
are highly flexible, including quick to start and stop. However, it is not the
‘get out of clean energy jail card’ for Australia or Australian families and
businesses that some would have you think it is.
Gas is an expensive fuel, with prices and supply determined on a global stage.
Even if we wanted to rely on it more heavily, it’s already too late to build
the new plants required. Australia isn’t alone in this transition—demand for
gas turbines is soaring worldwide, with supply chains now stretching beyond
five years, and we’re not even in the queue. There is also, of course, an
emissions implication to continued significant use of gas.
What does, or at least should, all this mean? Gas has a small back-up role in
our energy transition. But it needs to be just that – a back-up role. And, we
need to get the hell on with the transition in a real way or it will cost
Australia and Australians – needlessly."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
