Extract from The Guardian
Figures show the largest two-month rise in eight years, though several factors as well as repeal may be involved
Carbon emissions from the electricity grid rose after the repeal of
the carbon price, with analysts predicting further increases as
coal-fired power takes a greater share of Australia’s energy mix.
In the year to August 2014, emissions were 1m tonnes higher when compared with the year to June 2014. This is equivalent to an increase of 0.8% in emissions.
The data from the National Electricity Market, which covers about 80% of Australia’s population, shows that the leap in emissions is the largest two-month increase in eight years.
Hugh Saddler, energy analyst at Pitt & Saddler, which compiled the data, said the repeal of the carbon price by the government in July was “probably” the largest factor in the emissions rise.
There were a number of other factors, including “unexpectedly low” wind-power generation and an increase in electricity demand after a period when it had fallen.
Hydro Tasmania, one of the largest clean energy companies in Australia, increased its generation in the months before the repeal of the carbon price, in anticipation of the mechanism’s demise.
Saddler said he expected further rises in emissions due to the lack of a carbon price, as well as faltering renewable energy generation due to uncertainty over the future of the renewable energy target.
“There is a lot of cheap gas in Queensland but once that nosedives the rest of the capacity is in either coal generation or wind,” he said. “There is heaps of capacity in coal-fired power and the RET review means there isn’t much new wind generation, so the only new source of generation to replace gas will be coal.
“We will see the changes over the last four years gradually unwind. We will see more renewable generation than five years ago, but the share of coal will go up and emissions will go up,” Saddler said.
A key variable in emissions reduction will be the Coalition’s Direct Action plan, which has yet to gain support in the Senate. The scheme’s centrepiece, the Emissions Reduction Fund, will pay businesses that wish to reduce their emissions but it has not conducted any analysis to show how much it will abate.
Asked by the Greens in the senate about the rise in emissions, the government’s finance minister, Mathias Cormann, said the Coalition wanted to grow the economy, which would result in higher emissions.
“We inherited an economy growing below trend and below expectation and you know what happens when an economy grows less? It emits less,” he said.
“We can stop emissions altogether if we all just sit here and do nothing, but we think it’s a good idea to have a strong economy and create more jobs. “
Adam Bandt, the Greens’ deputy leader, said: “Tony Abbott has decided that the big polluters can do whatever the heck they like, at the cost of the planet and of the people.
“Australia could be a renewable energy world leader, instead we are turning our back on the 21st century in favour of polluting energy sources.”
In the year to August 2014, emissions were 1m tonnes higher when compared with the year to June 2014. This is equivalent to an increase of 0.8% in emissions.
The data from the National Electricity Market, which covers about 80% of Australia’s population, shows that the leap in emissions is the largest two-month increase in eight years.
Hugh Saddler, energy analyst at Pitt & Saddler, which compiled the data, said the repeal of the carbon price by the government in July was “probably” the largest factor in the emissions rise.
There were a number of other factors, including “unexpectedly low” wind-power generation and an increase in electricity demand after a period when it had fallen.
Hydro Tasmania, one of the largest clean energy companies in Australia, increased its generation in the months before the repeal of the carbon price, in anticipation of the mechanism’s demise.
Saddler said he expected further rises in emissions due to the lack of a carbon price, as well as faltering renewable energy generation due to uncertainty over the future of the renewable energy target.
“There is a lot of cheap gas in Queensland but once that nosedives the rest of the capacity is in either coal generation or wind,” he said. “There is heaps of capacity in coal-fired power and the RET review means there isn’t much new wind generation, so the only new source of generation to replace gas will be coal.
“We will see the changes over the last four years gradually unwind. We will see more renewable generation than five years ago, but the share of coal will go up and emissions will go up,” Saddler said.
A key variable in emissions reduction will be the Coalition’s Direct Action plan, which has yet to gain support in the Senate. The scheme’s centrepiece, the Emissions Reduction Fund, will pay businesses that wish to reduce their emissions but it has not conducted any analysis to show how much it will abate.
Asked by the Greens in the senate about the rise in emissions, the government’s finance minister, Mathias Cormann, said the Coalition wanted to grow the economy, which would result in higher emissions.
“We inherited an economy growing below trend and below expectation and you know what happens when an economy grows less? It emits less,” he said.
“We can stop emissions altogether if we all just sit here and do nothing, but we think it’s a good idea to have a strong economy and create more jobs. “
Adam Bandt, the Greens’ deputy leader, said: “Tony Abbott has decided that the big polluters can do whatever the heck they like, at the cost of the planet and of the people.
“Australia could be a renewable energy world leader, instead we are turning our back on the 21st century in favour of polluting energy sources.”
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