Influx of renewables sees coal power plants run well below capacity increasing chance of closures

Coal generation at power plants in NSW and Queensland may be falling faster than anticipated, due to cheaper solar and wind energyCoal power plants in New South Wales are running less than 60% of the time due to an influx of renewable energy, increasing the likelihood some could become economically unviable and close earlier than planned.An analysis by Hugh Saddler, an energy consultant and ANU honorary associate professor, also found coal generation in Queensland had dropped to less than 70% of capacity as more cheap solar and wind came online. Continue reading...