‘ YOU CAN’T SAY NO TO COAL’ New energy plant hailed as solution
A N E X T - G E N E R A T I O N coal- fired power plant in North Queensland could pave the way for a national rollout of the technology while solving energy supply and cost issues, says Queensland Resources Council CEO Ian Macfarlane.
Mr Macfarlane was commenting on reports the Federal Government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility was considering funding a high- efficiency low- emissions ( HELE) coal- fired power plant in the North.
Mr Macfarlane said the Queensland Government should change its views and support the construction of HELE plants to help meet future power demands instead of relying so heavily on renewable energy resources.
“The State Government needs to take a more realistic view,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“Just by building another coal- fired power plant doesn’t mean we can’t meet that renewables target.
“I had discussions about HELE stations while I was in Japan – every other country is building them but us.
“Otherwise we’re condemning North Queensland to higher electricity prices.”
Ms Palaszczuk yesterday said she remained opposed to a new coal- fired power station.
“We have a plan of getting to 50 per cent renewables by 2030,” she said. “I’ve just come back from the United States and what investors told me is that they want to invest in renewables because the State Government has a target.
“We need to open up more gas reserves because you need a good mix of existing coal fire moving through to gas.”
Mr Macfarlane said Queensland could not rely solely on renewable energy to meets its future demands.
“You can’t just say no coal,” he said. “If gas is going to fill the hole they ( the State Government) are going to need to fill that hole quite quickly.”
Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan said it made no sense for Australia to turn its back on HELE plants.
“The Q u e e n s l a n d Gov e r n ment has set an unr e a l i s t i c a l l y high renewable energy tar- get, without the baseload power to support it,” he said. “That risks turning North Queensland into another experiment like South Australia – where the lights went out completely. “Plenty of other countries are using advanced coal technologies, including high- efficiency low- emissions coal- fired power.” Mr Canavan supported NAIF’s consideration of funding a power plant in the North. “The NAIF’s purpose is to create investment in Northern Australia,” he said. “Given a coal- fired power station could support new jobs and new investment, it makes sense for a project like that to be considered by the NAIF if there’s an application. “But ultimately that matter for the NAIF.” When asked whether the State Government would administer a NAIF loan from for a new plant, Ms Palaszczuk said it had not “given out a single dollar”. “But what we’re hearing very clearly is that ( Opposition Leader) Tim Nicholls and the LNP keep wanting taxpayers money to build a brand new $ 2 billion c o a l - f i r e d power station on the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef,” the Premier said. CLIVE Palmer’s closest staff and allies who have cruised southern Europe on his dime will return to Brisbane this week as courts continue to go after the former MP’s millions.
But Mr Palmer ( pictured) is showing no signs of stress, p posting on Facebook a thumbs up, while standing near a monkey made out of a towel in a suite aboard a cruise ship.
It is understood the globet trotting Mr Palmer is in Slov- is a enia and will travel to Corfu before returning to Australia.
Mr Palmer is facing one of his toughest legal challenges – trying to preserve his affluent lifestyle threatened by Government- appointed liquidators.
A taxpayer- funded law suit, lodged in the Supreme Court of Brisbane, is seeking up to $ 350 million to pay debts owed to Queensland Nickel.
Taxpayers were forced pay for the entitlements to of about 800 workers in Townsville after QN collapsed.
Mr Palmer has defended shouting staff and friends to the cruise. It is understood He has ordered staff not to speak to the media during it.
It is not known if Mr Palmer has spoken to his absent former QN director and nephew Clive Mensink, who has been ordered home to give evidence in court about QN.
RENEE VIELLARIS