New research from the Page Research Centre in partnership with the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship was featured in the Australian.
“Energy bills could rise by nearly 70 per cent over the next 10 years under current government policy, a new report has estimated – findings likely to be seized on by the Coalition as it pushes its alternative plan.
The federal Labor government has set the aggressive target of having renewable energy generate 82 per cent of the country’s electricity by 2030, but a new report… estimates that will raise bills by 69 per cent.
Gerard Holland said Australia had endured substantial price rises in the last near 20 years.
“Energy bills have increased 67 per cent in real terms since the Coalition left office in 2007,” Mr Holland said.
“But 60 per cent of that increase has happened in the last 10 years. Something has happened that leaves us on a drastically different trajectory than we would have otherwise been on. That coincides with the expansion of renewables from 8 per cent to 34 per cent. It has been a policy choice.”
Mr Holland said the decision of successive governments to allow coal plants to shut meant the grid was plagued by periods of wild wholesale prices when there was unfavourable weather for renewables or heightened demand….
Mr Holland said Australia had four choices but the cheapest way to lower power prices would be the traditional fuel source.
“The only way we can see to lower electricity prices is by building more coal-fired power stations,” he said. “That would obviously have to be paired with a freeze on any new renewable energy and transmission assets.”
