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June 2021
Why the Scarborough LNG development cannot proceed
Woodside and BHP’s Scarborough to Pluto LNG project is the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia. It would result in annual carbon pollution equal to over 15 new coal fired power stations, and more pollution than the proposed Adani coal mine. The direct pollution from this project would increase WA’s total emissions
August 2020
Narrabri Gas Project
May 2020
Fracking and slacking
February 2020
Fossil fails in the Smart State: Gas and coal power plant breakdowns in Victoria
Victorian brown coal-fired power plants are some of the worst performing stations in the National Electricity Market. With hot and dry conditions forecast for the rest of this summer, Victoria is at risk of further breakdowns of aging coal generators, insufficient supply and blackouts.
July 2019
National Energy Emissions Audit: June 2019
Welcome to the June 2019 issue of the NEEA Report, providing a comprehensive, up-to-date indication of key electricity trends in Australia. Key Points:+ The government has belatedly released the National Inventory Report 2017 and December 2018 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Quarterly Update and they show concerning upward trends in emissions from coal and gas extraction. +
June 2019
Breaking brown: Gas and coal plant breakdowns in Victoria
Victoria’s brown coal fired power stations suffer from frequent breakdowns and Loy Yang A is the responsible for largest number of breakdowns on the National Energy Market, since monitoring began in December 2017, and Loy Yang A’s Unit 2 is the most unreliable unit on the grid.
February 2019
The heat goes on: Breakdowns at gas and coal plants in NSW, 2018
So far in 2018, there have been 27 major breakdowns at gas and coal power stations in NSW. Every coal power station experienced at least one breakdown. The Tallawarra gas power station experienced three breakdowns. Aging plants Liddell and Vales Point experienced the most breakdowns.
Meltdown 2018: Breakdowns at gas and coal plants over 2018
In 2018 there were 135 major breakdowns at gas and coal power stations in the National Energy Market. While the oldest coal plants were responsible for a large proportion of the breakdowns, newer supercritical plants were also unreliable. There were three breakdowns at one of the newest gas plants. Victoria’s brown coal plants were the
January 2019
Suboptimal supercritical
A number of federal and state politicians and mining industry groups have called for new supercritical or ultra-supercritical coal-fired power stations to be built in the National Electricity Market (NEM). Data from The Australia Institute’s Gas & Coal Watch shows that coal plants are unreliable and prone to break downs – as they have dozens of times
September 2018
Coalapse! The New South Wales winter “energy crisis”
How over 5 gigawatts of New South Wales gas and coal plants being simultaneously offline pushed the state’s power supply to the brink and drove high electricity prices.
Colossal fossil failures
As of 2 September 2018, there have been 100 major breakdowns at gas and coal plants in the National Energy Market – including every coal-fired power station bar one (Mt Piper). While old subcritical coal plants performed poorly, the newer supercritical plants (so-called “HELE” plants) were even more unreliable. There were also breakdowns at some
May 2018
Timing is everything – Liddell Power Station’s record of breaking down when it is needed most
Liddell is the oldest power station in Australia. It is particularly vulnerable to breaking down in hot weather when demand is high, and electricity is most needed. It has suffered four major breakdowns so far this year. Two of these were within two hours of peak demand on very hot summer days. The continued reliance
Report: Watt on a hot tin roof
How rooftop solar increases reliability and reduces electricity prices Rooftop solar generates best on hot sunny days, exactly the conditions that see gas and coal generation at risk of breakdown. This summer rooftop solar reduced demand peaks in the National Electricity Market by over 2000 MW, while a breakdown at a major coal generator contributed
November 2017
Coal and gas a reliability liability in the heat: report
3600 MW, or 14%, of coal and gas generation failed during the February 2017 heatwave. Report calls for the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) to require “heat safe” back-up for coal and gas plants. New analysis released today by The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program shows that coal and gas failed to provide energy security