Speed up funding and lower purple tape round constructing the transmission for renewable power to energy new jobs, or threat falling behind, the trade has warned.
“Australia’s prosperity and quality of life depend on the decisions that everyone in this room makes now as leaders,” Paul Gleeson, head of power at engineering big Aurecon, informed a business summit at federal parliament.
That means doubling down on funding and shortly securing market share in inexperienced metal, ammonia and hydrogen, Mr Gleeson mentioned.
He mentioned delays in transmission tasks preserve him awake at evening, and put jobs and new industries in danger.
“Right now, we must make it a priority to decarbonise Australia’s electricity markets,” Mr Gleeson mentioned.
“We don’t need to wait to see what other technologies emerge.
“We have a transparent and least-cost pathway within the type of bulk wind and photo voltaic, with transmission, storage and firming property to be deployed as the important thing enabler of those low-cost renewables.”
Oil and gas producers are also backing other decarbonisation options, such sucking emissions out of the atmosphere to store permanently underground and developing liquid hydrogen derived from gas for use by refineries and factories.
For Origin Energy boss Frank Calabria, the two critical concerns were getting enough transmission built and ensuring there is backup to support the growth in grid-scale solar and wind.
He said renewables will increasingly provide the “lion’s share” of energy supply but energy storage and other backup, or firming, will be crucial.
Origin is betting on long-term demand for “peakers” – gas-fired plants with units that can quickly switch on in minutes, not hours, during high demand and quickly power down when not required.
“We have to be sincere with the neighborhood that we merely can not guarantee dependable energy provide with out constructing extra fuel peakers,” Mr Calabria mentioned.
“A functioning capability mechanism is vital to encouraging the mandatory funding in new firming provide,” he said, referring to a plan for taxpayers to support the ongoing decarbonisation of the grid.
But more renewables won’t happen until the transmission infrastructure is in place, he warned.
That means working with communities to make sure the benefits are shared, including jobs, he added.
Mr Calabria said better co-ordination was needed across all levels of government to save time and money.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek told the Committee for Economic Development of Australia event that approvals would be quicker if projects were designed well to begin with.
Chevron boss Mark Hatfield called for an “sincere dialogue” about how to balance energy needs and the environment.
“Our view is that pure fuel has a long-term position in offering power,” Mr Hatfield said.
He said Australia can continue to play a leading role in energy security at home and in Asia, including by deploying more carbon capture and storage and developing hydrogen.
Aurecon’s Mr Gleeson said Australia must also plan for very challenging climate impacts and extreme weather events, with it looking increasingly likely the world will breach the 1.5C limit on global warming.
“There is quite a bit at stake if we get this unsuitable,” Mr Gleeson mentioned.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
