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Koperberg is dreaming: new coal generation will blow targets
Tuesday 24 July 2007
Climate Change and Environment Minister Phil Koperberg is misleading himself and the people of NSW if he thinks this state can build a new coal fired power station and still have any hope of meeting his year 2025 greenhouse gas emissions target, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Commenting on a story on page 5 of the Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Kaye said: “Minister Koperperg needs to do the arithmetic and see the damage that even a relatively small 1,400 MW coal fired power station would do to the target.
“With the lowest emission technologies currently available, it would emit more than 8.8 million tonnes of CO2 a year and boost this state’s emissions by at least 5.7% of our year 2000 level.
“Other sectors of the economy would need to reduce their emissions by a massive 12.8% to compensate.
“It’s time to fess up. If the Iemma government builds a new coal fired power station, they are not serious about meeting their greenhouse targets.
“Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has demolished Minister Koperberg’s clean coal argument.
“Minister Koperberg and the Iemma government will have to either contradict their federal leader or admit that carbon capture and storage technologies will not be available before 2030, five years after the 2025 target date.
“In any case, NSW is debating the construction of a new coal plant now, not in two decades time.
“The best we can hope for in the timescales of the current debate is a minor improvement in generator efficiency, leading to a few percentage points off total emissions.
“If Minister Koperberg is serious about climate change, he will oppose new coal fired generators in this state and not allow Treasurer Michael Costa and his ‘browns’ allies to roll him in cabinet,” Dr Kaye said.
