Australia has delayed the closure of its largest coal-fired power plant to bridge a capacity gap while it seeks to boost renewables.
The huge Eraring power plant in New South Wales state was due to close in 2025, but the state government has given it a two-year lifeline amid a looming energy deficit. State Premier Chris Minn said the reprieve would provide reliable power and electricity "while we transition the workforce and the economy to net zero".
The Australian Conservation Foundation said Eraring was a dirty "coal crusher" that emitted almost three per cent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. "Summers in New South Wales are now characterized by unprecedented floods, heatwaves or deadly fires and this extreme weather is exacerbated by the extended life of fossil fuels such as coal," the foundation said in a statement.
About 70% of the electricity supplied in New South Wales comes from four outdated coal-fired power stations. They are scheduled to stop operating in the next 10 to 15 years. Like many countries, Australia is trying to reconcile its long dependence on fossil fuels with bold ambitions to embrace renewable energy. Earlier this month, federal treasurer Jim Chalmers unveiled the country, which is one of the world's biggest coal exporters, as a resurgent "renewable energy superpower". / BGNES
