27/08/2020

(AU) Chief Scientist Alan Finkel Fires Back On Gas Criticism From Colleagues

Sydney Morning Herald - Nick O'Malley

Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, has defended his position on the use of natural gas after being criticised by some of the nation's leading climate change scientists, saying it would remain one of the nation's key energy sources.

"There will be times when supply from renewable electricity generators will be inadequate to meet demand and occasionally such periods will last many days and affect adjacent jurisdictions," Dr Finkel wrote.

Dr Alan Finkel has defended his position on the use of natural gas following criticism from a group of Australian climate scientists. Credit: Jessica Hromas

On Monday The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported that a group of 25 leading Australian scientists had written to Dr Finkel, voicing their concern that his support for the use of gas was not supported by scientific evidence about the need for the rapid abandonment of fossil fuels to tackle climate change.

They were particularly concerned about elements of Dr Finkel's address to the National Press Club earlier this year, which preceded the government's adoption of an economic stimulus policy backed by an expansion of the gas industry.

Dr Finkel wrote that as he said in his press club address, "the adoption of more renewable electricity will be faster, more economical and more reliable if natural gas fired electricity generation continues to be available in the near- to medium-term."

"Natural gas fired electricity can pick up where batteries and pumped hydroelectricity run short. Furthermore, natural gas fired electricity has an important firming role to play as, and when, existing coal-fired stations close due to age or competition," he wrote.



He wrote that greenhouse gas emissions caused by burning coal gas to generate electricity were lower than that created by burning coal, "even when upstream fugitive emissions of methane are included in the analysis". He also wrote that because gas-fired power stations could ramp up faster than coal-fired power stations they did not need to operate for as long to meet shortfalls in renewable power in the grid.

"The combination of lower emissions per megawatt-hour and a smaller number of operating hours means that natural gas fired electricity can make a valuable contribution to reliability during our transition to a low emissions electricity system."

Dr Finkel wrote that he has not commented on an expanded role of gas for industry, rather his focus has been on the use of gas-fired electricity generation alongside renewable energy.

One of the signatories to the letter, Professor Will Steffen, said Dr Finkel had not addressed its key points.

"He is addressing engineering problems. He is not speaking about the fact that using gas as a transition fuel is not compatible with meeting Paris Agreement climate targets to which Australia is a signatory," he said.

Former chief scientist Penny Sackett, who did not sign the letter, said that there was no time for a decades' long switch from coal to gas.

"'Fuel switching' from coal to gas is policy based on factors that were at play around the turn of the century or before, not in today's world and beyond," she said. "The last thing we need is to increase fossil fuel production at a time when coal, gas and oil must all decline starting now in order to stay well below 2°C of global heating."

Asked in Parliament by Greens leader Adam Bandt if he shared the concerns of the scientists, Prime Minister Scott Morrison reiterated the government's view that gas would not only help sustain Australian jobs and industry, but also supported a transition to a low carbon economy.

"That is why we want to see more of it and get more out of the ground, Mr Speaker, so we can fuel the jobs that this country needs as we come out of the COVID-19 recession."

He noted that government members were "united in that view of gas".

"We all support it, Mr Speaker. We are all behind it. I believe the Australian people will also."

He noted that the Labor Party appeared to be divided over the issue. Labor energy spokesman, Mark Butler, declined to comment.

The independent MP Zali Steggall said she was "very concerned about Dr Finkel's statements on gas as a transition fuel for "decades to come".

"The Government relies on Dr Finkel's views to justify a focus on gas, and yet his advice is at odds with scientists across the country who say a gas-led recovery is not in line with tackling the emissions reduction challenge we must do under the Paris Agreement," she said.

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