Coal Body Fights to Reignite Discussion on Power Source

Coal Australia has launched a campaign to get coal back in the race to power Australia.

Power generation is shaping up as one of the key election platforms in the nation, with federal Labor vowing to push on with renewables, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has detailed his plan for nuclear reactors at former coal station sites.

But Coal Australia’s campaign led by Chair Nick Jorss aims to remind stakeholders that coal is a solid contender in the energy race.

A new television ad campaign will form part of the push.

According to Coal Australia, coal is reliable power that plays a pivotal role in steel production, aiding in development and infrastructure.

Coal remains Australia’s second largest export and contributed $99.3 billion (US$66 billion) to the national economy in 2022-23.

“Australia’s prosperity is directly linked to the success of our coal industry,” a statement from Coal Australia said.

“Coal supports regional communities, directly employing 42,500 Australians and supporting more than 300,000 more jobs.”

Support for Coal

Senator Matt Canavan has been a solid supporter for coal in Australia, echoing the sentiments around the reliability of the power source.

“Unlike renewable energies, coal is the breadwinner for our nation,” he told The Epoch Times.

“Without coal-fired power, the unstable house of cards Labor are building with solar and wind will come tumbling down.

“Solar is great for someone’s roof, maybe even a shopping centre carpark, but it shouldn’t be used to power our entire country.”

Canavan said it wasn’t acceptable to risk factories shutting down every time there was cloud cover.

“Coal is the only source of power we currently have online that provides reliable, cheap electricity every moment of the day, no matter how many clouds are in the sky,” he said.

Canavan said the risk of unreliable power sources for factories could push manufacturers offshore.

The senator added that the government should continue with coal, including the nation’s largest coal-fired power station, Eraring, which is due to close in 2027 after an extension was put in place to keep it running until then.

“I don’t think we should just temporarily extend the life of Eraring,” he said.

“I think we should permanently keep it online and go back to building more coal-fired power stations.”

According to research by the University of New South Wales released in late 2023, Australia’s coal power stations will most likely all be gone by 2038—five years earlier than first expected.

But Coal Australia is determined to have the potential of the power source re-emerge as a successful contender in Australia’s engery race.