Nuke Not the Answer

Letter to the editor, Subiaco Post, 1 February 2007

subeditor@postnewspapers.com.au
fax 9388 2258

RE: Nuclear energy isn't needed to address climate change

Robin Linke argues that nuclear energy is needed to address climate change (Letter to the Editor, 1/2). I don't agree.

Studies have shown that Australia and the world can achieve the cuts we need in greenhouse emissions from the energy sector without nuclear power.

A 2004 study, A Clean Energy Future for Australia, found that through energy efficiency and switching to existing clean technologies Australia's greenhouse pollution from the stationary energy sector could be halved by 2040.

Under the main scenario outlined in that report, Australia's energy mix by 2040 comes from the following sources:

• 30% from natural gas used in both cogeneration (combined heat and power) and in combined-cycle power stations
• 28% from bio-electricity generated mainly from crop residues (excluding those from native forests)
• 20% from wind power
• 9% from coal
• 7% from hydro
• 5% from solar (mainly during peak periods when its economic value is highest)
• 1% from petroleum (which could be replaced with biofuels).

That study was based on existing clean technologies. Renewable energy technologies and applications, including for base-load sources of energy such as geothermal and wave, are advancing rapidly and will become increasingly viable over coming years.

A similar study from earlier this year, Energy Revolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook, found that it was technically possible for a combination of renewable energy sources to deliver half the world's energy needs by 2050. Together with smarter use of energy, this would deliver the emission cuts that are needed in the global energy sector, without nuclear energy.

Robin has raised issues with particular renewable energy technologies, such as the intermittent nature of wind energy and the land area needed to grow feedstock for biomass plants. All energy technologies have their limitations, and renewable energy technologies are no exception. However, as the reports I have mentioned show, we can cut greenhouse emissions through a portfolio approach that combines a range of different renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.

This can be done today with existing technologies, and will become easier in the future with further investment in renewable energy technologies.

What we urgently need are government policies to make this happen. A good start would be State Government support for the Greens Private Member's Bill, currently before the Parliament, requiring 20 per cent of our electricity to be sourced from renewable energy by 2020.

Giz Watson MLC