Australian operator warns of reduced power reserves
Adelaide -
Australia’s electricity operator has warned of a shortfall in generation and reduced power reserves on the horizon.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has called for further investment in the country’s energy portfolio as retiring coal plants are replaced by intermittent renewables, leaving the grid with less back-up capacity.
AEMO has said this increases the chances of supply interruption and load shedding.
It added the federal government should target 1GW of strategic reserves in the states most at risk – Victoria and South Australia.
CEO of the Clean Energy Council, Kane Thornton, said the shortfall in generation was due a decade of indecisiveness and debate leading to a “policy vacuum”.
He added: “The AEMO report revealed that the new projects added to the system under the renewable energy target will help to improve reliability over the next few years.
“We need to accept that the energy system is in transition and long term policy is now essential to ensure private investment in the most efficient new energy technology and solutions.”
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LONDON - Only one in 10 of the world’s electric utility companies are prioritising investment in clean renewable energy over growing their capacity of fossil fuel power plants, according to research from the University of Oxford.
The study of more than 3,000 utilities found most remain heavily invested in fossil fuels despite international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and some are actively expanding their portfolio of polluting power plants.
The majority of the utility companies, many of which are state owned, have made little change to their generation portfolio in recent years.
Only 10% of the companies in the…
