Paying coal and gas plants to supply back-up energy a ‘retrograde step’, Clean Energy Council says

It's the wrong policy debate at the wrong time,' industry says of capacity mechanism

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Australia's peak renewable industry groups say paying coal and gas plants to remain in the electricity market as back-up capacity would be a retrograde step", and a lengthy debate about changes could stall much-needed new investment.

Kane Thornton, the chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, said his organisation had real concerns" about the proposal by the Energy Security Board for a so-called capacity mechanism to be introduced after 2025. Such a scheme would charge consumers for idle generation or supply to reduce risks of potential power shortages, as experienced across eastern Australia this month.

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