Stationary energy and climate change
Doubling of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere between 1950-2050 has the potential to heat our planet by as much as between 3-6°C in the same period.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007
Australia's biggest single contributor to human-induced global warming is greenhouse gas emissions from our coal-fired power stations, constituting 35% of Australia's emissions. Currently, around 85% of our electricity comes from the burning of coal, making us one of the world's largest coal-burning countries on a per capita basis. What's more, Victorians are the worst greenhouse polluters in Australia, and one of the worst in the world, because we generate electricity from brown coal in old power stations which are highly greenhouse gas intensive.
Over the period 1990-2006, coal consumption for electricity in Australia increased significantly and this trend has been higher than the average of OECD (industrialised) nations, including the USA. This is due in part to continued state and federal support as well as direct subsidisation of coal-fired electricity, and the lack of a national approach to increase the number of renewable sources in our electricity mix. As a result Australia's increasing demand has led to generation of more ‘dirty' electricity, and Australians have not been made aware of the need for and advantages of energy conservation and efficiency.
The problem with generating electricity from coal
Coal is not a renewable resource; we may have lots right now, but like oil and other fossil fuels it will eventually run out. Burning coal to make electricity is damaging to our air quality as well as greenhouse gas intensive. It also uses a significant amount of water to produce: about 5% of the average Australian's total water use.
Burning coal is a highly inefficient way to make electricity. Coal is burnt to heat water in boilers to generate steam, which spins a turbine, which spins a generator to produce electricity. Only about 30% of the energy stored in coal is actually turned into electricity; the rest is lost in the exhaust gases and cooling water. Around 30% of the total electricity produced is used to power the coal station or is lost in transmission and distribution.
The bottom line is that coal was a terrific way for the world to begin industrialising, and its use has led to some remarkable technological advances in human civilisation. But given what we now know about the role of greenhouse gas emissions in climate change, as well as the renewable energy technology we now have, the place of coal as an effective electricity source has been well and truly outmoded. It still has a place in the short to medium term to be sure, but the long term emphasis needs to shift to renewable energy.
How is renewable energy different?
Electricity from renewable sources, such as wind, sun and water, generally produce very small amounts of greenhouse emissions in the development and none in the generation of electricity itself. This means that they do not add human-induced carbon emissions to the atmosphere, and so are effective electricity sources that can help prevent further climate change.
Renewable energy sources also do not cause air pollution, have minimal environmental and social impacts if correctly sited, and produce no waste by-products that may be toxic to humans or local environments.
To find out how to switch to accredited renewable energy or install solar panels or a solar hot water system on your roof, visit:
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Why not take action now? To calculate your energy use, find solutions, top tips and how-to information, have a look at the Energy-Smart Action Plan.