<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/woodsides-claim-that-gas-displaces-coal-not-borne-out-by-evidence-instead-it-displaces-renewables/>
"Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill has used a speech at the Melbourne Mining Club on
Thursday to repeat claims that Australia’s gas exports are helping to displace
coal in Asia, despite evidence showing it actually helps displace renewables.
O’Neill used her speech, delivered at the Melbourne Town Hall, to call for an
energy policy debate “based on science and facts, not wishful thinking” before
claiming gas would be “critical” to help decarbonise Asia by displacing coal.
“The reality is we get far more impact from replacing coal in Asia with
Australian (liquefied natural gas), than we do from asking Australian consumers
to switch their household appliances from gas to electric,” O’Neill said.
O’Neill, who also serves as chair of Australian Energy Producers, the country’s
oldest and longest-running oil and gas industry association, said the
Australian government should approve Woodside’s massive gas developments, such
as extending the life of infrastructure associated with the North West Shelf
Project that began in 1984.
She also said embracing gas would help Australia compete with the US at a time
where President Donald Trump is imposing retaliatory tariffs, crushing
renewable energy investment and approvals, and telling the country’s oil and
gas industry to let rip.
Claims that more gas production and exports will help to displace coal use in
other parts of the world, particularly Asia, are common talking points shared
among senior executives at fossil fuel producing countries in countries such as
Australia, Canada and the US that are all planning on selling their gas in the
Asia market at the same time.
Beyond the economics of the situation – if producers in Australia, Canada and
the US all over-produce gas for sale to Asia a gas glut will be exacerbated and
prices will fall – the available evidence suggests gas is more likely to
displace renewables than coal, while increasing emissions."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
