Nuclear power ‘too costly’

Wind, solar and hydrogen the way of the future, energy forum told

Green energy companies investing hundreds of millions of dollars in North Queensland projects have dissuaded a push for nuclear power, saying the altnerative energy source makes no strategic sense.

Attendees at a green energy forum held at The Ville’s conference rooms in Townsville were told that that other countries around the world want to make use of NQ’S other qualities. Industry leaders spoke about how European nations, led by Germany, desired the large spaces and wind capacity of North Queensland. The Townsville Bulletin asked panellists if they could be competing against nuclear investments in the next decade, but Iberdrola Australia’s chairman Ross Rolfe dismissed the suggestion.

He said it would have to be run entirely by the government rather than by the private sector if it were to be developed in Australia.

“It is a very expensive technology and we don’t have the human infrastructure to support it,” Mr Rolfe said.

“It’s not compatible with renewables as part of a power system as a whole.

“To me it’s hard to see how that makes sense.”

The Spanish-based international power company was mostly only interested in renewables and was looking to develop a wind farm at its Mount Saint James project north of Hughenden.

But it had a large focus on green hydrogen even as most of its assets involved wind and solar.

“One of the things that really interests us about this region in particular is the potential application of most of those … into this region to support the realisation of its overall potential,” Mr Rolfe said.

Edify Energy founder John Cole oversees a $137m hydrogen project in his hometown of Townsville, which has been partially funded by the German and Australian governments, and will eventually create 500 jobs.

He said North Queensland had the natural qualities the rest of the world desired when it came to green energy production such as hydrogen, wind, and solar.

Mr Cole said countries without such resources – like the United Kingdom – might be “forced into that option” of nuclear energy.

But the “sunburnt country” had viable alternatives.

Senator Nita Green said she was “very reluctant to consider any sound bites” from opposition leader Peter Dutton, who has recently advocated nuclear as a viable option to achieve net-zero targets.

KAP party leader Robbie Katter had also expressed interest in nuclear power.

“We’ve got projects that are ready to go right now,” Ms Green said.

“Our government has actually ticked off 46 renewable energy projects since we’ve been in power.”

She said energy sources needed to be balanced while also increased, and that the future in affordable power was in wind, solar, and in hydrogen.