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Roadmap for a low emission power sector by 2050
Roadmap for a low emission power sector by 2050 media release 17 December 2009 A report released at the Copenhagen climate change summit by the International Electricity Partnership shows that low emission electricity can be delivered by 2050 so long as government policies are fully supportive of the necessary changes. The International Electricity Partnership was formed in 2008 and comprises the Energy Supply Association of Australia, the Canadian Electricity Association, Eurelectric, the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan and the Edison Electric Institute of the US. The work of the partnership shows that deep emission reductions are achievable with the development and application of new technology, an adequate transition period to change over the necessary generation and network equipment, vastly improved end-use efficiency and supportive government policies. "The rate at which emissions from the energy supply sector are reduced will be critically dependent on the technical and economic feasibility of deploying low emission electricity generation as well as advanced networks that enable informed end user consumption choices," said esaa Chief Executive Officer Brad Page. "The reality is that the supply and end-use technologies that can result in very deep reductions in emissions will not be commercially deployable before 2025, limiting the extent to which emission reductions can be secured before then," said Mr Page. "Before 2025, we will be largely dependent on switching to lower emission fuels and deploying mature renewable energy sources, but this will take us only so far." The report also finds that there is a need to align the emission reduction targets with the roadmap to low emission technologies. "If we get the targets running ahead of the rate at which the lowest cost technology is available to meet them, it will lead to more expensive solutions being required and which are locked in for many years, given the capital-intensive and long-lived nature of energy infrastructure," Mr Page said. Emission reductions will be required from every sector of the economy. The report concludes that low emission electricity will find new and diverse applications including in personal transport through electric vehicles, the increased electrification of expanding public transport systems, water provision via desalination, and highly efficient space heating and cooling using advanced heat pumps. "The stationary energy industry needs long-term, stable policy settings that support the industry’s transition to a low emission future," said Mr Page. "Aggressively supporting new research and development, providing a clear incentive to deploy least-cost new technologies for the production, supply and use of energy, and ensuring that emission reduction ambitions are aligned with the rate of technology development are some of the key government policy features that the report identifies as being crucial." The report is available at http://www.esaa.com.au/reports-%26-studies.html. - Ends - Media contact: Melissa Baldwin 03 9670 0188 or 0418 697 626 The Energy Supply Association of Australia seeks to positively influence government policy decisions to ensure that Australia enjoys the benefits of a safe, secure, reliable, sustainable and competitively priced electricity and natural gas supply. esaa’s 40-plus member businesses have more than $120 billion in assets and infrastructure investment plans worth over $49 billion over the next five years. The Association is fuel and technology neutral and member businesses have investments across a wide range of fossil fuel and renewable generation technologies.
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