So without compulsory purchase of certificates by electricity retailers, renewables are competitive?
Well that is a surprise!
And is that level of competitiveness on what measure- reliability, provision of ancilliary services like BlackStart, Frequency Control, Voltage Control?
Until a LOT of battery's are deployed, they will remain unscheduled generators. SA Government has admitted that will take a while and is looking to bring in another 250MW of Gas Fueled plant to SA
An existing coal plant is very profitable at $50/MWh. Reason we need new HELE USC plant is retirement of older plant. And that will lower GHG/KWh intensity here just as in India.
We both agree in the long term it is going to be renewable, but as I wrote already, it is the trajectory and timing that is the $64B question.
Solar thermal with storage is promising too and I am off to a conference on Battery Storage development this morning.
Really surprised to read about the fugitive emissions. That it increases by dewatering coal beds is a plausible mechanism, but I will need to verify that with data.
Second large gas pipeline to bring larger amounts of shale-derived and conventional gas to SE Australian markets is worth examining. The first NT-QLD pipeline awarded to Jemena is mired in green tape right now.
Pipelines are long term infrastructure and often appropriate to subsidise. or provide low cost debt finance up front. like railways and airports
But I am still waiting for you to show how subisidies are presently being paid to coal fired plants here. In fact they pay royalties on the coal used.
