The Outlook for the Economic and Environmental Performance of Australia's National Electricity Market in 2030

Abstract

CO2 emissions in Australia's NEM have increased from 117 Mt in 1990 to 169 Mt in 2002. Without policy intervention, emissions are forecast to further rise to 265 Mt by 2030. An analysis of the economic and environmental impact of various generation technology options suggests that the most likely technology glide path will be gas-fired generation in the medium term, with IGCC + CCS or nuclear being the dominant baseload technology over the long run.