Australia Needs to Close 90 Percent of Coal-Fired Fleets in 10 Years to Meet Emission Targets: AEMO

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has said the country needs to replace 90 percent of coal-fired power plants in the next 10 years to meet its carbon emission targets. This comes amid concerns about AEMO’s role in the renewable transition and its inability to forecast electricity prices. At a recent inquiry hearing, AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman revealed the current state of the national electricity market and the country’s coal-fired fleets. “Over the last 12 months, [coal] has provided around 55 percent of energy needs in the national electricity market, about 5 percent from gas, and about 40 percent from renewable energy,” he told a parliamentary committee....