We have dcided to phase out coal fired Electricity Generation with a gas transition to 100% renewables.
Whay should the owners invest more money in coal fired generators. If I were to be a CEO of coal fired plants i would direct that a minimum is spent on R&M and when its dead , its dead & bugger the social obligation.....that's for the Government to sort out.
We manufacture less, use more electricity which means that there is more domestic electricity consumption & less industrial and to add insult to our manufacturing demise, industry pays a higher tariff than households!
IMO, the Governmnt should build the solar-wind & Hydro generators & if they are cheaper to run , then flog them to private enterprise at a profit & recoup the taxpayers funds with interest.Its called putting your environmental money where your environmental mouth is.
Let's face it, if solar was cheaper than coal then the Chinese would not have bought some of our coal fired generators but instead done a sweetheart deal with the mother country is supplying the solar panels cheaply!
And there again, if solar were to be that cheap, then why is the Government offering $3.5 k to bung them on the roof?