<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/11/nuclear-power-too-expensive-and-slow-to-be-part-of-australias-plans-to-reach-net-zero-study-finds>
"Nuclear power should not form part of Australia’s plans to reach net zero
emissions because it is too expensive and slow, according to the final report
of a project that models how Australia might meet its 2050 climate target.
The
Net Zero Australia report, a partnership between major academic
institutions and the management consultancy Nous Group, says the federal
government has a major role to play in accelerating all options that could make
a “material contribution” to achieving net zero.
The release of the report comes days after the opposition leader, Peter Dutton,
ramped up calls for nuclear power in Australia and a debate about removing the
legislative ban on nuclear power in Australia.
The report includes major investment in batteries, solar, onshore wind, pumped
hydro and transmission. Among renewable options, offshore wind was found to
have the most uncertain pipeline, with the report concluding first power from
offshore wind projects needed to occur in 2030.
But the report concludes nuclear power should not be factored in to net zero
plans and states that to “reduce renewable targets in the belief that nuclear
will be deployed later at scale would create a material risk of not achieving
net zero, or doing so at an excessive cost”.
Richard Bolt, principal at Nous Group, said: “Nuclear power should not be in
our plans, because it’s too expensive and slow. Only a dramatic fall in costs
and prolonged renewable constraints would prompt a rethink.”
The report warns that Australia’s path to net zero carbon emissions in 2050
will require faster, broader and more innovative decarbonisation efforts and
the pipeline of large-scale solar and onshore wind projects risks falling short
of the required build rate."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
