From The Australian today - As Australia’s ageing coal-fired...

From The Australian today -

As Australia’s ageing coal-fired power stations exit the market, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association called for an international shift to natural gas-fired plants.

The oil and gas lobby’s chief executive, Andrew McConville, said “natural gas is making a major dent in reducing emissions in the US and the UK”.

“It has also reduced emissions in China, but a much bigger prize remains,” he said. “If we can convince heavily coal-dependent power grids such as China to follow the US and UK examples, the world could hit its reduction targets quicker and without sacrificing modern conveniences.”

“More than two billion people in the world live in energy poverty; gas is the quickest and cleanest way to lift them out of it. The International Energy Agency has said demand for Australian gas in Asia is set to grow by 52 per cent by 2040. If China embarked on coal to gas switching it would be massive for Australia.”