The Australian government has abandoned its plans on renewable power and returned to supporting coal to be the heart of its energy policy as reported by The West Australian. The decision was made after experiencing power price hikes and blackouts on the aggressive implementation of renewable resources projects and the high numbers of gas exports.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that the government will not be adopting the proposal of Chief Scientist Alan Finkel for a clean energy target and instead establish a reliable electricity target that favours gas, coal and hydropower.
We will deliver a careful energy plan based on engineering and economics, designed to deliver the triple bottom line of affordability, reliability and meeting our international commitments.
– Mark Butler, Shadow Energy Spokesperson
The new energy policy was presented right after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission released a report showing a 60% increase in power prices in the last 10 years.