The climate wars have been reignited with the publication of the coalition’s controversial plans to use nuclear power, an option that the government completely rejects.
Meanwhile, a report released this week by Australian energy market operator AMEO pointed out that the government needs to accelerate its efforts in the context of the energy transition, which has become a challenge.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen joins the podcast to discuss the issues.
Regarding the costs of the energy transition, which according to the opposition will be between 1.2 and 1.5 trillion dollars, Bowen says
Today, the energy market operator released its latest integrated systems plan, detailing the updated costs: $122 billion. That’s the system-wide, non-customer-borne cost of generating, transmitting and storing renewable energy.
Let’s just say it now. The opposition is going around claiming, oh, it’s $1.2 trillion. They’re quoting and distorting a report that talked about the cost of net zero across the economy, not just the power sector, which is what we’re talking about, but industry, transport, agriculture, everything, and the goal is to get to net zero by 2050, which they’re supposedly committed to.
If you ask what it will cost to make our electricity sector 82% renewable by 2030 and then achieve net zero energy by 2050, we are talking about the number in the Australian Energy Market Report.
The Labour Party faced some criticism for mocking the coalition’s nuclear plans.
Bowen says
The basis of a serious debate must be facts, and the opposition should present more facts about its policies.
The reason I am so strongly opposed to nuclear power in our country is because it is not profitable. It is economically irrational and the so-called free market party admits that there will be no private investment in nuclear power and therefore they must build a state monstrosity to operate nuclear power.
Chris Bowen says about Julian Assange’s return to Australia
I think this is a very good result. I don’t support what he did all those years ago, but I think he should be free.
The Prime Minister has been very reticent about the credit he is claiming for himself and I understand why. But I will say that I think the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, Ambassador Rudd and High Commissioner Smith have done a brilliant job behind the scenes.
