Analysts say mounting problems mean Australia will fall well short of 2030 renewable energy target
www.abc.net.au
Australia has ambitious plans to generate more than 80 per cent of its power from renewable sources by 2030. But a growing number of experts say the country is way behind where it should be.

Plans by the federal government for Australia to generate more than four-fifths of its power from renewable sources by 2030 are coming under pressure amid claims the country is way off track.

Key points:

  • There are increasing suggestions Australia will fall short of its 2030 renewable power target of 82 per cent

  • Analysts predict Australia’s share of renewable energy is on track to be about 60 per cent at the current rate of progress

  • The forecasts come amid mounting opposition to projects such as transmission lines in some parts of Australia

  • @abhibeckert
    6•1 year ago

    What are the motivations behind this article?

    The ABC has a mandate to deliver “accurate, impartial, and independent news”. It’s a government agency and failing deliver that would likely result in serious consequences for anyone who decided not to publish this content.

    Keeping people informed of progress on mitigating climate change is absolutely critical for a functioning democracy and ABC is the best tool for that job. Private news organisations have proven they’re incapable of being even remotely accurate or impartial.

    What are the interests of the organisations quoted?

    That gets a bit more tricky. Nexa is a research organisation that does research into whatever someone pays them to research. They’re not unbiased - I don’t think they’ve said who funded them for this paper?

    Are NIMBYs the only bottleneck?

    Um. No. Obviously not. But they’re a big one.

    Is it only one place in Victoria that’s affected or are there more?

    Again, obviously, there are more.

    Are there any technical engineering issues involved?

    … yes?

    What do you think of the suggestion to switch government incentives from rooftop solar to batteries?

    I think the world doesn’t have the capacity to produce batteries in the quantities required even if nobody every uses one in a home, so, no. If anything batteries at home should be heavily discouraged. We need those batteries for electric vehicles, not houses.

    How quickly could that happen?

    Nowhere near quickly enough.