New Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg, who has said there is a moral obligation to exporting coal to provide energy for millions of people without access to electricity, has been a long-time supporter of nuclear power and said in his maiden speech that it was “inexplicable that in Australia we have yet to have a constructive and thorough debate about nuclear power, the only baseload, carbon-neutral energy source”.
On Tuesday, Mr Turnbull backed Mr Fydenberg’s arguments about coal, saying it was “a very important part, a very large part, the largest single part of the global energy mix and likely to remain that way for a very long time”.
“Having said that, the pace of technological development in the renewable space has been extraordinary .”
…Asked whether achieving a change in the energy mix to achieve zero emissions might include nuclear power, Dr Finkel said: “I think it’s not unreasonable to look at all viable alternatives”.
“Nuclear energy is a zero-emissions energy. It comes with issues, including the fact we don’t yet have the infrastructure, the training, all the things that would enable it to be a viable industry. So it’s something that should be absolutely considered for a low emissions or a zero-emissions future, if that is what we are looking for. But it is not the only way forward. With enough storage, we could do it in this country with solar and wind.”
Showing how the nuclear debate is moving, Mr Shorten also did not rule out nuclear power in the future, saying he would watch what the South Australian royal commission says, “but my position has been that renewable energy is probably I think the most productive path to go along” .
I have no in principle problem with nuclear energy given Australia’s uber-stable geography. But we all know it’s an enormously costly business usually requiring massive subsidy to be viable. If it can be made economic versus renewables then more power to it. But let’s not pick a winner just because Mr Frydencoal (who’s grasp of resource and energy economics is remarkably thin) likes it.
