Antinuclear

For Australia100% renewable energy is not as expensive as we thought

100% renewables for Australia – not so costly after all, REneweconomy. By Giles Parkinson  29 April 2013 An exploratory study into 100% renewable energy scenarios for Australia has concluded that its impact on consumer electricity prices over the next few decades may be no more than the increases in the last few years to support much criticised network upgrades and the introduction of the carbon price.

The report by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) – you can access the executive summaryhere and the draft report here  – canvasses the potential costs and practicality of transforming Australia’s coal-dependent electricity system to 100 per cent renewables, by either 2030 or 2050. It creates two scenarios – depending on the pace of falls in the cost of renewable and storage technologies – but both are considered conservative.

It concludes that the cost could range between $219 and $338 billion and would require wholesale electricity prices of $111-$133/MWh (more than double the current price). Unfortunately, and somewhat controversially, AEMO was not asked to compare these forecasts with “business as usual”, but it does provide one interesting set of data that does put it into some perspective.

The first is the impact on retail prices. ….. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/100-renewables-for-australia-not-so-costly-after-all-5021

May 3, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News