Renewable Energy Target for Australia – The Role of Fuel Conversion Efficiency and Waste Biomass Valorisation

The Federal Government of Australia is reviewing the Renewable Energy Target (RET) which is to achieve the generation of 20% of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. 85.61% of electricity is produced by burning coal in power stations that are generally much older and more obsolete, less efficient and more polluting, than the average of the OECD countries. (January-July 2012 IEA data) Of the remaining electricity 11.51% is derived from hydro-power and the remaining 2.86% almost entirely from wind. Australia is very rich in other energy sources, including natural gas and uranium. However, it makes practically no use of the huge annual biomass and bio waste production. This is almost completely unutilised: buried in landfills, burned or allowed to decompose, thus ignoring a near-zero emission energy option is possibly unique among the OECD countries. Better economies and energy efficiency for power generation could come from achieving a reduced production costs assessed on a whole lifecycle analysis. Alternatives for generating electricity per kWh are compared net of subsidies and penalties. This promises a better environmental outcome which requires the reduction of lifecycle emissions of pollutants and carbon dioxide. It also minimises other negative effects of conservation and society.