The long-awaited report from Chief Scientist Alan Finkel into Australia’s National Electricity Market was released yesterday. Madeleine De Gabriele, Michael Hopkin and Wes Mountain summarise the key elements.
The key recommendation is the adoption of a Clean Energy Target. This mandates that energy retailers provide a certain amount of their electricity from “low-emissions” generators — sources that produce emissions below a threshold level of carbon dioxide per megawatt.
Crucially, Dr Finkel has not made a recommendation as to the precise threshold or the number of certificates to be issued, saying:
The Panel acknowledges that the specific emissions reduction trajectory that should be set for the electricity sector is a question for governments.
At a minimum, the electricity sector should have a trajectory consistent with a direct application of the national target of 26-28% reduction on 2005 levels by 2030, as per Australia’s international obligations under the Paris Agreement.
Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market/The Conversation (Image via The Conversation, CC BY-ND)
Madeleine De Gabriele is Deputy Editor: Energy + Environment, The Conversation; Michael Hopkin is Environment + Energy Editor, The Conversation; and Wes Mountain is Deputy Multimedia Editor, The Conversation. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Monthly Donation
Single Donation
Subscribe to IA. It's a good move.
