Energy Policy Briefing
Summary
The Australian Liberal Party has proposed shifting public investment towards coal and gas projects, abandoning the 2050 net zero target, and overhauling clean energy schemes. The party claims this will lower power prices and avoid “picking winners.” Energy experts have challenged these claims, doubting the proposals will reduce prices or emissions and highlighting the deteriorating economics of coal power.
Key Points
- Policy Shift: The Liberal Party proposes using public money to support coal and gas, arguing current policies favor renewables and don’t prioritize affordability.
- Net Zero Abandoned: The party has abandoned the 2050 net zero emissions target, aiming instead to reduce emissions at a pace with “comparable nations.”
- Scheme Overhaul: Plans include rewriting the Capacity Investment Scheme to allow financial support for fossil fuel projects.
- Expert Skepticism: Analysts doubt the proposals will significantly lower power prices, citing recent price spikes driven by factors like the war in Ukraine and offline coal stations, not renewables.
- Emissions Concern: Experts also question how the plan would reduce emissions, noting carbon capture is more expensive than prevention.
- Coal’s Challenges: Keeping aging coal plants open longer is costly, requires significant public subsidies, and faces reliability issues.
- Investment Reality: Nearly all grid-scale investment since 2012 has been in renewables, and major investors have their own net zero commitments.
- Vague Promises: Neither major party is specifying expected household bill savings, learning from past unfulfilled promises.
能源政策简报
总结
澳大利亚自由党提出将公共投资转向煤炭和天然气项目，放弃2050年净零排放目标，并彻底改革清洁能源计划。该党声称这将降低电价并避免”挑选赢家”。能源专家对这些说法提出质疑，怀疑这些提议能否降低电价或排放，并强调了煤电经济性的不断恶化。
关键点
- 政策转变：自由党提议使用公共资金支持煤炭和天然气，认为当前政策偏向可再生能源且未优先考虑可负担性。
- 放弃净零目标：该党已放弃2050年净零排放目标，转而旨在以与”可比国家”同步的速度减少排放。
- 计划改革：计划包括重写”容量投资计划”，以允许对化石燃料项目提供财政支持。
- 专家质疑：分析人士怀疑这些提议能显著降低电价，指出近期的价格飙升是由乌克兰战争、煤电站停运等因素驱动，而非可再生能源。
- 排放担忧：专家还质疑该计划如何减少排放，指出碳捕获比预防排放成本更高。
- 煤炭面临的挑战：让老化的燃煤电厂运行更久成本高昂，需要大量公共补贴，并面临可靠性问题。
- 投资现实：自2012年以来，几乎所有电网规模的投资都流向了可再生能源，并且主要投资者有自己的净零承诺。
- 模糊的承诺：两大主要政党均未具体说明预期的家庭账单节省金额，从过去未兑现的承诺中吸取了教训。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-14/liberal-coal-gas-price-emission-doubts/106006866