It’s a tricky question. Which uneconomic, species threatening fuel will you subsidise to build a white elephant power plant?
Scott Morrison’s most senior ministers are split over subsidising a new coal-fired power station, after Josh Frydenberg rejected Nationals demands for the government to support a “modern” plant in the NSW Hunter Valley.
The Treasurer’s opposition to funding new coal came as Nationals leader Michael McCormack declared the government would “absolutely look at” proposals for a power station if a state government or private company pitched one.
…Mr Frydenberg said decisions about coal-fired power stations and their futures would be commercial ones left to the private sector.
…The Nationals reignited the climate wars within the Coalition after the party’s backbench unveiled its manufacturing 2035 blueprint, which calls for a doubling of manufacturing jobs within 15 years and a “modern” coal-fired power station in the Hunter.
…Nationals senator Matthew Canavan, who chairs the backbench policy committee that released the manufacturing plan, said it was “absurd” to be considering gas in the Hunter and not coal.
…Trade Minister Dan Tehan said there would be “very open and frank” discussions about emissions reduction with the new Biden administration and insisted there would be “a lot of like-mindedness” in the approaches taken by Australia and the US.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor and US President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, have agreed to establish a joint working group to reduce carbon emissions.
This conversation is straight from The Betoota Advocate. Both coal and gas are dead as fuels for stationary power. This is driven by the pure economics of alternative energies:
In five years it will be much cheaper:
If it goes the way we think it will, renewables plus full storage will be more than 60% cheaper than coal and gas:
Recently I hopefully suggested that:
instead of bullshitting, policymakers start planning for major economic stimulus and economic restructuring for QLD and the Hunter.
Nope.
