Carbon policies to drive large grid growth in NEM: but coal supreme at 87 per cent in 2009-2010 |
First 14 of 14 paragraphs shown This shows the change in fuel use for both scheduled and non-scheduled generation over the past five years in the Australian National Electricity Market. A wee bit less coal: In 2009/10, coal-fired generation provided 81.7per cent, gas fired generation provided 10 per cent, hydroelectricity provided 6 per cent, and wind generation provided 2 per cent. Coal the king: While there was a slight drop in the use of black coal in 2009/10 and an increase in the use of other technologies, coal remains the dominant fuel source. Hydro cut : The data records a dip in hydroelectric generation during the drought years, followed by a slight recovery in 2009/10 as dam levels began to increase. Who says so: AEMO, (Australian Energy Market Operator) was to publish its first grid plan - the NTNDP, due December 2010. Climate policies the key: This plan was to consider the impact of climate change on the national transmission network over a 20-year horizon. Policy clarity awaited: While the ESOO has considered the impact of a potential Australian carbon policy on the NEM...”the impact of these policies will be understood more clearly following greater certainty about policy direction”. Resource tax not mooted: The 2010 ESOO has not considered the potential impact on the NEM of a resource rent tax, or more generally any policy statements or positions since June 2010. Other fuel sources, such as liquid fuels, biomass, and solar power, only made minor contributions to the generation mix. Difference between capacity and actual: Gas and hydroelectric generation contribute less than one-sixth of energy generation, despite making up almost a third of the available capacity in the NEM. This reflects their usage as fuels for peaking generation, which is sourced largely from open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT), hydro generation and liquid fuels. - This accounts for their relative different shares, which shows the proportion of total generator capacity by fuel source, and the proportion of generation by fuel source for 2009/10. While coal is the dominant generation technology overall, the dominant fuel for electricity generation varies from region to region. - Queensland and New South Wales rely primarily on black coal and Victoria relies on brown coal. Electricity generation in South Australia is largely generated from gas and coal, while Tasmania relies on hydroelectricity ...Log in to read rest of Article or image. |