Antinuclear

The Grattan Institute has studied the potential of wind, solar, geothermal, bio-energy, nuclear and CCS to generate near-zero emissions power. Its report, No Easy Choices, to be released on Monday, says that given the lack of any “sure bets” Australia should keep all options on the table.

That includes perhaps the most controversial technologies, nuclear and CCS, Grattan energy program director Tony Wood told AAP.

Both may be needed if Australia is to meet its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

“If you ignore those two that’s very risky because it’s very difficult to believe that renewables can get there without prices going through the roof,” Mr Wood said.

He argues that while Australia might be better off waiting for other countries to develop cheaper and better nuclear plants, it has a very strong interest in developing CCS…….

The report acknowledges that nuclear and CCS are unlikely to be demonstrated in Australia anytime soon “unless government takes on most of the material risk of the project”….The Gillard government, at the behest of the Greens, is establishing a $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation which will leverage private sector financing for renewable energy and clean technology projects…..

But the Grattan Institute report says more needs to be done aside from support for research and development.

It advocates scrapping all existing subsidies for fossil fuels and technology-specific programs such as solar feed-in tariffs.

Further, it calls on governments to expand exploration and mapping of solar and geographical resources to aid in the development of solar thermal and geothermal energy and the location of suitable sites for carbon storage.
Finally, the think tank’s report stresses the need for a complete overhaul of Australia’s distribution network.