Report: No need for new coal fired power station in Qld
22 Apr 2005
A report released today shows why there is no need to build the proposed Kogan Creek coal-fired power station.
The report, Towards Queensland's Clean Energy Future by Dr Mark Diesendorf and commissioned by WWF-Australia. It outlines how the use of bioenergy from crop residues, co-generation with coal seam gas and wind power coupled with an extension of energy-efficient performance in new and existing buildings could supplant the need for Kogan by 2010.
Coal fired power stations are the most carbon dioxide polluting way to produce electricity. A new 750 mega-watt coal plant will produce at least 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. The equivalent of having 1.1 million new cars on the road.
"Queensland is at the crossroads in the energy debate. By taking immediate action, the government has the opportunity to make the rejection of the Kogan Creek proposal an historic turning point away from polluting coal," Anna Reynolds, WWF-Australia Climate Change Manager, said.
The report shows Queensland can provide new power from gas, bio-energy and wind. Even compared to the cleanest coal power station, gas power stations produce half of the emissions and large renewables such as wind and biomass produce virtually no emissions. The package presented in this report would generate 3.5 million tonnes per annum less than the coal option.
"These proposals provide an alternative to a polluting power station that would lock Queensland into an additional 4.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year for 40 years and add significant community costs," Toby Hutcheon, Director of Queensland Conservation Council, said.
"The State Government has recently taken action to increase the uptake of solar hot water. The proposals contained in this report add significant weight to this direction while calling for an extension of the program to include existing dwellings and applying user-pays principles to the likes of air conditioning," Mr Hutcheon said.
WWF believes Towards Queensland's Clean Energy Future adds a positive and practical contribution to the debate Queensland has to have - how to meet an inevitable target of a 60% cut in CO2 by 2050.
What you can do
- Read the Towards Queensland's Clean Energy Future report.
- Support WWF's work to slow greenhouse pollution and protect the Australian environment from chaotic climate change.
For more details (and to arrange an interview with Dr Diesendorf) please contact:
Anna Reynolds, WWF-Australia Climate Change Manager, 0419 547 217
Toby Hutcheon, Coordinator of QCC, 0419 664 503
or WWF Communications Officer Virginia Dew, 02 8202 1290 or vdew@wwf.org.au or Jacqueline McArthur 02 9281 5515 Mobile 0408 626 780
