Australian Paper set to burn Melbourne's rubbish to power its mill

A waste-to-energy plant planned for the Latrobe Valley could burn the equivalent of more than half of Victoria's domestic rubbish.

Australian Paper's mill at Maryvale in the La Trobe Valley.

Garbage from 1.4 million Victorian homes could be converted to energy under the joint proposal from the owner of Victoria’s biggest paper mill and waste giant Suez.

Australian Paper announced late on Thursday that it would team up with Suez to build the huge energy plant, powered by hundreds of thousands of tonnes of household waste.

The plant at Maryvale would burn an estimated 650,000 tonnes a year of rubbish from Melbourne and Gippsland - roughly enough in cubic metres to fill three-quarters of the MCG, or 468 Olympic swimming pools.

Read the story from The Age by Adam Carey and Ed Bourke - “Australian Paper set to burn Melbourne's rubbish to power its mill.”

Nation’s 'dirtiest' power stations to burn brown coal for decades

Victoria could be still burning brown coal to produce electricity in 30 years, after the state government extended the licences of two key power stations in the Latrobe Valley.

The Loy Yang and Yallourn power stations 

will continue to burn brown coal.

Picture: Justin McManus

Green groups are furious at the deal to keep what they call Australia’s dirtiest power stations at Yallourn and Loy Yang open until 2032 and 2048 respectively, calling Friday's decision a “win for the big polluters”.

But Treasurer and Resources Minister Tim Pallas says he has secured “certainty” for workers in the valley and negotiated a 17-year clean-up period after the generators, which supply about 70 per cent of the state’s electricity, and their mines have stopped operating.

Mr Pallas also says there will be no repeat of the debacle over the closure of the Liddell mine in NSW, with the operators of the Victorian power stations, Energy Australia and AGL, agreeing to give at least five years' notice of any intention to shut down their operations.

Read the story from The Age by Noel Towell - “Nation’s 'dirtiest' power stations to burn brown coal for decades.”

Carbon capture offers a false hope that we can sustain our use of coal

Last week, the Andrews government announced it was launching a "world-first" project to produce hydrogen in the Latrobe Valley.

Australia's PM, Malcolm Turnbull.

The project is being developed by a consortium of Japanese energy and infrastructure companies led by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, with the support of the Victorian, Commonwealth and Japanese governments. It aims to convert brown coal into hydrogen, which will then be transported to Japan for use in fuel cell electric vehicles and power generation.

On face value this attempt to turn our remaining coal resource into new export opportunities might seem like a good idea. But once you drill into the issue it becomes complex very quickly.

Firstly, there is the awkward fact that this project won’t be able to be commercialised unless carbon capture and storage (CCS) becomes viable at a commercial scale. Despite absorbing more than $1.3 billion of taxpayer funds since 2007, no one can say with certainty when, or if, this technology might be ready. So we’re potentially funding dead-end research. Despite the fact that industry reps keep promising it's "almost ready", after spending $1.3 billion of our money on this technology, with very little to show, when do we say enough is enough?

Read Cam Walker’s comment from today’s Age - “Carbon capture offers a false hope that we can sustain our use of coal.”

Coal-fired power stations caused surge in airborne mercury pollution, study finds

Airborne mercury pollution from coal-fired power stations in Victoria’s Latrobe valley increased 37% in just 12 months, according to an annual national survey of toxic emissions.

The mercury output from Loy Yang B coal-fired power station alone
 more than doubled to 831kg in 2016-2017, the national survey of
toxic emissions found.

The mercury output from Loy Yang B power station alone more than doubled to 831kg in 2016-2017, an increase of 123% over five years.

The brown coal burning power station produced more than 640 times the airborne mercury pollution of Eraring power station near Newcastle, New South Wales.

Eraring, Australia’s largest coal-fired power station, produces three times the energy of Loy Yang B power station but reported just 1.3kg of airborne mercury pollution in 2016-17, a reduction of 97% over the past five years.

Read Calla Wahlquist’s story from The Guardian - “Coal-fired power stations caused surge in airborne mercury pollution, study finds.”

Environment watchdog could slap tougher emissions caps on power plants

Victoria’s environmental watchdog is reviewing the licences of the state’s three remaining coal-fired power plants, amid claims toxic emissions have contributed to an unusually high number of low-birthweight babies in the Latrobe Valley and even poisoned native dolphins.

Burrunan dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes have 

recorded some of the highest mercury levels in the world.

The Environment Protection Authority is considering imposing tighter emissions caps on the three power stations, Yallourn, Loy Yang A and Loy Yang B, which together supply about 80 per cent of the state’s electricity.

At the end of the review, revised licence conditions will set legal emissions levels for potentially harmful substances including nitrogen, carbon monoxide, sulphur, mercury and particulate matter.

But the EPA has given no indication it will impose new limits on carbon dioxide emissions, despite calls from Victorian environmental groups to do so as a way to tackle global warming.

Combined, the plants emit about one-third of Victoria’s greenhouse gases.

Read Adam Carey’s story in The Age - “Environment watchdog could slap tougher emissions caps on power plants.”

Renewables hub, or coal museum? Australia’s energy debate plays out in Latrobe Valley

If you were looking for a neat summation of the current state of the energy debate in Australia, the tug-of-war over the future of a retired brown coal power plant in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley would be a good place to start.

A renewables hub or a coal museum?

The old Morwell Power Station and briquette factory on the outskirts of the town of the same name was last week listed for protection by the Heritage Council of Victoria.

The former Energy Brix Power Station, which once supplied brown coal-fired electricity to the grid, was closed in 2014 – two years after receiving a $50 million federal government bailout package.

At the same time, the plant’s final operator went into liquidation.

Read Sophie Vorrath’s One Step Off the Grid story - “Renewables hub, or coal museum? Australia’s energy debate plays out in Latrobe Valley.”

Latrobe Valley plans for diesel generator back-up power supply

Plans are underway to set-up diesel generators in the Latrobe Valley in eastern Victoria, to be used as a back-up power supply on days of high electricity demand.

The Loy Yang A power station went offline last
 month, adding to power supply issues.

The ABC understands diesel generators will be brought in to the former Morwell Power Station site, where they will be used as a back up in times of peak demand.

It is not known at this stage whether the generators will be used to power the entire state or just eastern Victoria.

There have been reliability problems at two of the region's coal-fired power stations in recent weeks.

Environment Victoria's campaign manager Nick Aberle said it was a band aid solution to potential power shortages this summer.

Read the ABC News story - “Latrobe Valley plans for diesel generator back-up power supply.”

Latrobe Valley power plant plans locked up due to terrorism fears

Fears of a possible terror attack on Victoria's Latrobe Valley power stations have led the Andrews government to lock up a stash of public documents for the next decade.

The Yallourn power plant in Gippsland's
Latrobe Valley could be a target for terrorism.

The documents were withdrawn from public access within days of the state having learnt it faces a higher risk of blackouts this summer and an increased risk of energy shortfalls over the next decade.

The trove includes technical plans of the Yallourn brown coal power station, which, it is feared, could be used to strike at Victoria's power network.

Yallourn is the second largest power station in Victoria and provides about 22 percent of the state's power supply and 8 percent of demand in the national electricity market.

The ageing plant has replaced Hazelwood as the most emissions-intensive power station in Australia, but remains critical to Victoria's energy needs.

Read Adam Carey’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Latrobe Valley power plant plans locked up due to terrorism fears.”

Renewable energy boost to power Victoria's four biggest regional cities

In a huge boost to Victoria's electricity supply, renewable energy companies will compete to supply Victoria with 650 megawatts of power – enough for the energy needs of every household in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley.

Two large solar farms will be built in Victoria to power Melbourne's trams. 

The competitive "reverse auction" will be the biggest of its kind in Australia, as corporations tender for the contracts to power 389,000 households.

This is expected to trigger investment of about $1.3 billion in renewable projects such as construction of wind and solar farms.

Expressions of interest will open in October.

Read Adam Carey’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Renewable energy boost to power Victoria's four biggest regional cities.”

New coal plant may be coalition price for clean energy target

There is increased speculation that the Coalition government is prepared to spend taxpayers money on a new clean/cleaner/cleanish/not-quite-so-dirty coal plant in an effort to get conservative support for a clean energy target and even to appease potential One Nation voters.

Alpha Males and the Lump of Coal.

The construction of new coal fired generator – be it in the Latrobe valley or the preferred location of north Queensland – makes no economic sense whatsoever, despite the insistence by conservatives and the Murdoch media that it will “produce jobs” and lower energy prices.

But The Australian reported on Monday that prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and energy minister Josh Frydenberg are considering offering a government-funded coal plant as the ransom to pay to get a clean energy target approved by conservative factions led by former PM Tony Abbott and Craig Kelly.

The proposal, the paper says, will be put to the party room later this month, presuming it hasn’t already torn itself apart over the issue of same-sex marriage.

The energy industry has already ridiculed the idea of a new coal-fired generator, many times over, including the big three energy retailers, the main coal generation lobby, and most energy analysts.

Read the story by Giles Parkinson on RenewEconomy - “New coal plant may be coalition price for clean energy target.”

Andrews government calls for new brown coal projects, including in the Latrobe Valley

Victoria is "open for business" for new brown coal projects with the state government calling for initiatives that create jobs, including in the Latrobe Valley.

Victorian government says its new brown coal
policy would focus on using coal reserves in
a "low emissions setting". 

The Victorian government said its new brown coal policy would focus on using coal reserves in a "low emissions setting”.

Resources Minister Wade Noonan said new proposals for alternative uses for coal would be examined.

"We want to create new jobs with a forward-thinking approach to climate change and a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050," he said.

Green groups slammed the policy, saying new coal projects could add to Victoria's pollution levels.

Read the story by Benjamin Preiss in today’s Melbourne Age - “Andrews government calls for new brown coal projects, including in the Latrobe Valley.”

(The idea that Victoria is “open for business” contradicts the good sense approach to combatting climate change as the concept appeals to the energy-rich 20th Century understanding of what business is. First the State Government needs to explain in detail what “open for business” means in an era when we must change our behaviour, breaking our consumptive habits to lead a more restrained life. If we are to do any business at all, it must be about helping us build more resilient and stronger communities that are better placed to do better with less. So, “open for business” must mean we have reached an understanding that Victoria is now committed to and placing itself to play its part in helping the world avoid catastrophic climate change - Robert McLean.)

A local community watches on as the plug is about to be pulled on Hazelwood power station

Latrobe Valley businessman Ross Bertoli took a path well-trodden by local teens after he finished Year 11 at Yallourn Tech.

Ross Bertoli is a part-owner and general
manager of Hydro Australia which like
many Latrobe Valley businesses relies to a
  significant degree on the power industry
 for work.

In 1970, aged 16, he became an apprentice fitter and turner with the State Electricity Commission, one cog in an intake of a couple of hundred apprentices.

By joining "the biggest employer" in the Latrobe Valley he became a colleague of his father Arthur (an overseer), and brothers David (electrician), Bryan (fitter), and Peter (draftsman).

"Everyone in the family worked for the SEC," he says, while sitting in an office of his Morwell business, Hydro Australia, just a few kilometres from the Hazelwood coal mine and power station's main entrance.

Read Darren Gray’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “A local community watches on as the plug is about to be pulled on Hazelwood power station.”

Victoria's plans for hydrogen exports to Japan are 'way of making brown coal look green'

Latrobe’s Hazelwood power station will close
 on 31 March and the Victorian government
 is looking to create new jobs there.

Victorian government plans to work with a Japanese company to produce hydrogen from brown coal in the Latrobe Valley are “a way of making brown coal look green”, according to one expert.

The proposed plant, which would be run by Kawasaki Heavy Industries as part of their Kawasaki Hydrogen Road project, would produce liquid hydrogen that would then be exported to Japan to be used in hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Maritime authorities from both Australia and Japan signed a world-first deal to ship liquid hydrogen in Canberra on Wednesday, but Victoria’s acting resources minister, Philip Dalidakis, said the project was still “in the very early stages”.

Read Calla Wahlquist’s story on The Guardian - “Victoria's plans for hydrogen exports to Japan are 'way of making brown coal look green'.”

Power station closure will be harsh, but there's a silver lining

Nicola Rivers - the closure of Hazelwood
 will be understandably distressing, but
it has a silver lining.

The announcement that Hazelwood power station is to close next year is understandably distressing to many in the Latrobe Valley. This distress is well founded. Although the announcement was predicted for many years, state and federal governments have done essentially nothing over the past five years to ensure a smooth and gradual transition for the people of the Latrobe Valley away from coal and into other jobs.

Although there is still time for that to happen, governments and Hazelwood's owner, Engie, will have to work rapidly and with strong commitment to ensure the community is properly supported into the next phase. However, despite the anxiety and disruption to the local community the retirement of Hazelwood may cause, there is a very large benefit whose impact will be felt immediately – the health benefit.

People that live within 50 kilometres of coal-fired power stations face a risk of premature death as much as 3-4 times that of people living further away. Coal-fired power stations emit a range of toxic substances that have serious impacts on the communities that live near them.

Read the piece by Nicola Rivers in today’s Melbourne Age - “Power station closure will be harsh, but there's a silver lining.”

Dithering over Hazelwood closure will lead to a messy end

Hazelwood's closure could be
 as early as next April.

The closure of Hazelwood is unfolding like Ernest Hemingway's description of going bankrupt: "gradually, then suddenly". Age, emissions and other energy options meant it was only a matter of time before Australia's oldest and dirtiest power station retired. Rumours permeated the Latrobe Valley for the last couple of years. But only now that an announcement appears imminent – and closure could be as early as next April – are governments starting to respond.

The federal government has said it's up to the power companies themselves to decide if and when to close coal stations. But leaving it up to the market means giving up control of critical infrastructure and the future of regional communities to a few big power companies.

We saw what happened when Alinta shut down South Australia's Northern coal station with just eight months' notice: 400 jobs gone, massive dislocation for the people of Port Augusta, and sudden pressures on the state's electricity system which the energy market operator is still figuring out how to address. The causes of South Australia's recent price spikes are many, but earlier attention to smoothing the impacts of coal exit could certainly have helped.

Now we are about to repeat the same experience in Victoria, on a larger scale. This is a messy way to undertake what Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg calls the transition to a lower emissions future.

Read Olivia Kember’s comment in today’s Melbourne Age - “Dithering over Hazelwood closure will lead to a messy end.”

Brown coal scheme designed to 'save' Latrobe Valley in disarray

The government is scrambling to develop a
 strategy to cope with the closure of Hazelwood.

A $90 million scheme to make Latrobe Valley brown coal cleaner and more profitable has all but failed, with two out of three projects shelved and tens of millions of dollars of public funding sitting idle.

Announced in August 2012, the flagship state-federal fund, known as the Advanced Lignite Demonstration Program, was touted as a saviour for the Latrobe Valley, opening up new markets for the state's vast brown coal reserves.

But more than four years later, two of the big projects awarded funding under the scheme have now collapsed. A third has been granted a six-month extension to allow it to meet key environmental and planning deadlines.

The scheme involved joint contributions of $45 million each from the Victorian and federal governments for carefully selected projects to transform the valley's plentiful but low-grade coal into higher-valued uses such as briquettes, fertiliser and liquid fuel.

Read the story in the Melbourne Age -“Brown coal scheme designed to 'save' Latrobe Valley in disarray.”

Latrobe Valley community demands clarity about future of Hazelwood brown coal mine

Gippsland MP Darren Chester wants answers
from Engie about Hazelwood Power Station.

The Nationals' Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is calling for the owners of the Hazelwood Power Station to give a clear timeline for the plant's closure.

The French majority owner Engie has categorically denied reports it will shut down the facility in the first half of next year.

But Mr Chester said he was deeply concerned by ongoing speculation about the station's future and hundreds of jobs it provides.

He said a premature closure would be devastating.

Read the ABC Rural story - “Latrobe Valley community demands clarity about future of Hazelwood brown coal mine.”

John Hewson promoting ancient coal technology

Former Liberal Party leader and climate campaigner John Hewson has produced another shock to environmental activists, promoting a decades-old and never used coal technology that he says could extend the life of the vast brown coal resources in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.

Hewson and his business partners say they have perfected a system that “refines” coal and turns it into granules that can then be used in power generation, as a replacement for diesel and gas, in transport, and in space heating. The potential market, they say, is in the “trillions” of dollars.

Furthermore, they say it could mean that thousands of coal mines and coal generators around the world will not need to close, despite the global mandate to cut emissions to meet climate change targets.

The technology was promoted by Hewson in a recent presentation in the Latrobe Valley at a $45-a-head dinner in Traralgon, ostensibly called to look at the transition possibilities for a region dependent on brown coal generation.

According to the Voices of the Valley public group, Hewson had been expected to talk about the future beyond coal, but instead gave a sales pitch for a new technology that could exploit the Latrobe Valley’s vast coal resources.

Read the RenewEconomy story by Giles Parkinson - “John Hewson pushes “trillion dollar” opportunity in “refined” coal.”

A bold claim demanding instant action as rhetoric will not carry the day

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister
 Lily D'Ambrosio promise net zero emissons by 2050.

Victoria will emit no carbon dioxide by 2050, if a target announced by Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday is met.

It would mean no more burning coal for power in the Latrobe Valley and a big shift in how business operates and people run their homes.

Meeting the target – which Mr Andrews promised standing alongside dozens of children from Mill Park Heights Primary - would require a dramatic escalation in clean electricity generation and a transformation in Victoria's homes to make them more efficient including, for example, widespread use of solar panels linked to at-home battery storage.

Read Adam Morton and Josh Gordon’s story in the Melbourne Age - “Victoria to stop pumping out carbon dioxide by 2050, Premier Daniel Andrews promises.”

(A bold claim that can only be met if something happens today, not tomorrow, to set in train the massive cuts needed in Victoria’s carbon emission. Already, only days after the announcement, we off the pace and nothing tangible has been done to achieve this ambitious goal. Rhetoric and promises will not achieve anything – the damage caused to our atmosphere by carbon dioxide emissions never rests and if we are to counteract it in any successful way, then we too can never rest and that means a wholesale change in our way of living, putting public ahead of private in every instance – Robert McLean).

Climate goals at risk if coal-fired power plants remain open

Long-term climate change goals will be missed, and clean energy investment will stagnate, if Australia does not start forcing its dirty coal-fired power plants to close, new analysis has found.

Economic modelling commissioned by the Climate Institute also suggests that putting off closure until after 2030 would force the country into more-extreme measures to meet the longer-term goals of the Paris climate agreement.

That could include a hurried closure of more than 80 per cent of existing coal power generation in the five years following 2030, causing significant economic and social disruption, particularly in communities dominated by the industry such as the Latrobe Valley.

Read Tom Arup’s story in today’s Melbourne Age -“Shut coal plants or risk missing climate goals and hurting clean power, says Climate Institute.”