I had always thought that it would be crazy to allocate coal...

I had always thought that it would be crazy to allocate coal now, well before any of the ALDP winners have a chance to determine whether in fact their techs are commercially successful and therfore would seek a coal allocation to commercialise their tech.

However, if indeed the ALDP winners are Exergen, SE and Ignite then perhaps neither of those companies need to seek an S7 allocation.

Exergen have the BM project. SE perhaps has a JV with Mantle in the LV and Ignite have billions of tonnes of BC in Gippsland.

Aternatively, the govt could promise ALDP winners access to an S7 allcation in a few years time if their tech is successful.