In Australia, discord over Opposition plan to build nuclear reactors and slow roll-out of renewable power.
The opposition policy, unveiled last month, would replace the current government’s emphasis on accelerating construction solar, wind and batteries with one that envisages a greater role for fossil fuels while seven state-owned nuclear plants are built.
It has set the state for divisive confrontation on climate policy ahead of an election expected next year.
Energy analysts in Australia say this would lead to significantly higher emissions for at least two decades before significant nuclear power could come onto the grid – a claim the opposition rejects.
The governing Labor Party says the idea threatens investment in wind and solar and is a costly, environmentally damaging fantasy for a vast, sparsely populated and sunny country whose laws currently prohibit nuclear generation.
“It is a ploy to keep coal running longer, at a massive cost to reliability and emissions,” energy minister Chris Bowen said last week. “It is a betrayal of those Australians who have suffered from bushfires, floods and cyclones in the critical decade for climate action.”
The opposition Coalition of Liberal and National Parties is betting on anger among people who do not want wind or solar farms near their land or coastline and polls that show around half of Australians support nuclear power.
Labor is under pressure amid a cost of living crisis, and the Coalition promises its nuclear plan will achieve net-zero by 2050 more cheaply and safely than Labor can. Many analysts say that is unlikely even with Australia being a major producer of uranium needed for fuel, given the huge cost of nuclear plants.
Weakening Australia’s momentum towards renewables appears to be a key goal of the nuclear policy, according to some political and energy analysts.
While supported in some areas, the plan is not popularenough in marginal seats to sweep the Coalition to power, said Kos Samaras at political consultants RedBridge.
But it offers a clear alternative that could easily gain support if the renewables rollout does not go smoothly, he said.
“If Labor doesn’t get it right, that’s when the coalition walks right in.”
With Reuters inputs
