The first rule is reliability
TOWNSVILLE’S Liberal National Party candidates have slammed the Labor State Government’s renewable energy policy as “extreme”, insisting a mix of power generation is the only way to drive prices down.
Thuringowa’s Nick Martinez, Mundingburra’s Matt Derlagen and Townsville’s Casie Scott say the government has failed to listen to struggling residents.
This year the Palaszczuk government announced Queensland would transition to 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and to 100 per cent zero emissions by 2050.
Mr Martinez said energy reliability had to be addressed, which was why the LNP would fast- track construction of a High Efficiency Low Emission ( HELE) coal- fired power plant in the North within 100 days of being elected.
“It’s a balanced approach to reliability and a low- cost solu- tion,” he said. “Renewables do have a future – in North Queensland especially, the resources that we have up here in terms of sunlight are very important.”
The LNP had said it had fielded interest from proponents eager to invest in a HELE plant, but had so far refused to reveal who.
“The biggest difference on why we’re focusing on HELE is for responsible transition,” Mr Martinez said. “We need the baseload to work with the renewables … coming online.”
Casie Scott said ruling out a future including coal- fired baseload power was bad planning.
“We can’t afford to not have a HELE plant,” she said.
“We’ve seen more than 9000 people leave the region in the last few years and we just can’t afford to have unaffordable electricity.
“What we’re seeing is negligence in the extreme in terms of the renewable target.”
Ms Scott she had met pensioners who were eating dinner by candlelight to save money on their power bills.
“It’s hurting Queenslanders,” she said.
“North Queensland afford to be blacked out.”
Matt Derlagen said the LNP was backing a new coalfired plant in the North that would provide reliable baseload power to the national grid.
“The other big one for us is we don’t want to rush into any outrageous renewable statements about wanting 50 per cent renewable energy,” he said.
“We’re committed to the federal level of renewable energy of about 20 per cent.” can’t