Australian utility TRUenergy has announced a strategy to reduce its carbon emissions by 60% by 2050. TRUenergy owns and operates the Yallourn brown coal-fired power station and is currently one of Australia's largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions.
TRUenergy relies on coal for approximately 80% of the energy that it generates and sells, which Richard McIndoe, the company’s managing director, said makes the company a microcosm of Australia’s fossil fuel-dependent, greenhouse-intensive economy.
TRUenergy’s climate change strategy includes introducing an immediate cap on carbon intensity, with reductions commencing by 2010, and cutting emissions intensity in steps until they are down 60% by 2050 on a 1990 baseline. In addition, the company has committed not to build any greenfield, traditional technology, coal-fired power stations.
TRUenergy said that the strategy is likely to increase its share of renewable energy, such as the 400MW combined-cycle gas-fired turbine, which will power its new generation facility at Tallawarra in New South Wales. This will lead to the facility producing 70% less emissions than existing brown coal-fired power stations, making it Australia’s most efficient fossil fuel power plant, the company said.
TRUenergy, which is aiming to grow its share of its domestic energy market to 20%, will also assist its customers in reducing their environmental footprint through greater adoption of energy efficiency measures.
However, TRUenergy said that its commitment to commercially viable, environmentally responsible energy assets must be met by the introduction of an effective national emissions trading scheme that introduces a market-based price for carbon.
The utility said that Australian government initiatives to set limits on emissions, influence consumer behavior and stimulate research into low-emission technologies are critical to ensuring Australia can adequately prepare itself for a low-carbon future.