CSIRO has found a ‘lack of economic advantage’ in investing in nuclear power over renewables, according to its GenCost 2024-25 draft report released for consultation. The report took into consideration suggestions raised since its last report that nuclear had a longer operational life, a higher capacity factor and shorter time to delivery than previously estimated.…
The Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition Co-operative Research Centre (HILT CRC) has launched a flagship three-year project on energy infrastructure to help guide heavy industry decarbonisation. The project will provide clear, data-driven estimates of energy costs to inform government policy and enable heavy industry to plan its decarbonisation pathway. ‘Unlocking investment in energy infrastructure for net-zero…
By Dylan McConnell, UNSW Sydney Coal will no longer be burned for power in Australia within 14 years. To replace it will require faster deployment of solar and wind, storage, new transmission lines and some firming gas capacity. That’s a very brief summary of a large and influential document – the Integrated System Plan issued by…
By Bruce Mountain, Victoria University CSIRO’s latest annual GenCost update, released last month, was billed as Australia’s “most comprehensive electricity generation cost report”. GenCost has proven to be highly controversial. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton previously levelled robust criticism at the report, specifically the high costs attributed to building nuclear power in Australia, and called for…
The NSW government has awarded $3.2 million in new funds to Transgrid and $5.2 million to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to hire more technical staff, which it says will help fast-track grid connections for four battery projects. The Transgrid grant will fund extra technical staff on grid connections to reduce the risk of…
By Dylan McConnell, UNSW Sydney Australia’s coal power stations will all close in 2038 – five years earlier than previously expected – and variable renewable energy capacity will need to triple by 2030 and increase sevenfold by 2050. These are two key findings in the latest roadmap for Australia’s largest grid and electricity market, the…
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen has rubbished opposition calls for Australia to embrace nuclear power in the form of small modular reactors. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has injected his idea of a nuclear renaissance into the energy debate, suggesting he might change the Coalition’s official opposition to nuclear power, saying Labor was…
