Power grid warnings spark calls for fresh wave of national reforms
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Hopes are rising that an urgent warning over power grid failure may finally spark long-overdue national reforms, as Energy Minister Angus Taylor says he will leave it to the market to decide the mix of coal, batteries, hydro and gas used to back up renewables.
The Energy Security Board, which was set up to advise state and federal governments as Australia makes the worldâs fastest transition to renewable power, warned this week the shift to renewables posed âconcerning and urgentâ threats to the energy grid and proposed a suite of reform options to prevent power failures.
Truth and justice commissions will reveal the truth
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May 1, 2021 12.06am
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Teela Reid is right to extol the new school curriculum that will tell what really happened to First Nations people from the invasion to this day, but there needs to be a post-school curriculum to guide truth and justice commissions to tell all Australians what happened as proposed by the Uluru Statement from the Heart (“Truth-telling begins in school at least”, April 30). To their credit, the Victorian government has established such a commission. It is to be hoped that all other jurisdictions will follow suit.
Users clash with Taylor over price of energy reliability
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Energy users led by the Australian Industry Group have clashed with federal minister Angus Taylor over whether proposals to beef up energy security will lower energy costs or whether they are just âgold-platedâ overkill.
The reforms to the National Electricity Market proposed by the Energy Security Board, the top advisor on energy policy to federal and state governments, include payments to coal and gas plants for capacity that may not be used to ensure supply remains reliable through the transition to clean power.
While manufacturers are concerned that that failing to manage the decline of old coal-fired power stations could lead to a significant increase in consumer costs, many argue that some of the proposals are overkill.
Backstops proposed to prevent coal power shocks
Apr 30, 2021 – 12.01am
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Beefed-up measures to avert early shutdowns of struggling coal power plants and potentially keep them going for longer are being canvassed by the country’s top energy policy adviser to avert potential power blackouts and spiking prices.
The Energy Security Board envisages requiring owners of coal plants to give much more comprehensive information about pending temporary closures of ageing generators, even when they are only expected to be temporary.
EnergyAustralia’s Yallourn plant is being propped up by a deal with the Victorian government to keep it running until 2028.
Joe Armao
Viva refining subsidy grows after rivals close plants
Apr 27, 2021 â 11.00am
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Viva Energy will reap a bigger taxpayer subsidy for its Geelong oil refinery than initially anticipated after rivals including ExxonMobil and BP decided to close their plants, leaving more for those that remain running.
The March quarter subsidy is now expected to total $19.6 million, Viva said on Tuesday in a quarterly update that reported a doubling in the refining margin at Geelong while fuel sales remain mostly softer than the year-earlier period.
Australian refineries have been battered by a slump in demand and margins during the pandemic.
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A long-term subsidy package, aimed at retaining domestic refining to help domestic security of petrol and diesel supply, is still under negotiation and is scheduled to kick in on July 1.