• A Charles Sturt energy expert has released research on the transition from coal to renewable energy
• The research uses international case studies to inform Australian policy makers
• The report has made 17 key recommendations and insights to guide a successful renewable energy transition

A Charles Sturt University energy expert has investigated how communities which have been dependant on coal mining can survive and prosper as coal-fired power stations close in Australia in the coming years.

Senior Research Fellow in Energy and Circularity in the Charles Sturt Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and EnvironmentDr Simon Wright conducted the research through funding by the Churchill Trust.

The research focused on transitioning to renewable energies by investigating coal regions in transition in the European Union and Canada. The barriers and opportunities of how these transitions could inform Australia’s approach were also considered.

“As our coal-fired power stations shut down in the next five years and the pressure increases to cease coal exports to Asia, it is critical that we start planning for the economic future of these regions whose economy has depended on mining for more than 100 years in some instances,” Dr Wright said.

“We need governments to move swiftly and at scale to support these communities to build a long-term economic development plan.”

Dr Wright’s research focused on the potential to transition regions in Australia such as Hunter Valley, Latrobe, Collie and Gladstone to clean energy and other low carbon industries.

The report is timely as bodies are being created and legislated at both a federal and state level to oversee the Australian coal transition in the form of the Net Zero Economy Authority and the NSW Future Jobs and Investment Authority.

“Ageing coal fired power stations, extreme weather events, international political pressure and the dramatic reduction in renewable energy costs are forcing governments globally to prioritise the transition away from polluting fossil fuels towards a clean energy future,” Dr Wright said.

“Blessed with an abundance of natural resources, Australia is supremely well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by this transition.

“Yet our economy depends heavily upon the royalties generated by fossil fuel exports primarily to China and India.

“At a regional level, many communities previously reliant on coal are similarly concerned about their future and the absence of a clear and agreed transition plan.”

With these concerns in mind, the Churchill Fellowship research calls for urgent action from both Commonwealth and State Governments to address this critical deficit and catalyse the creation of regional transition plans led by local communities.

The report has made 17 key recommendations and insights, including to note that trust building takes time and money, meaning an exponentially larger investment is required than currently allocated by Federal and State Governments to implement this plan.

It also recommended that transitions be community-led but government-enabled, as communities need to be supported by government throughout the entire process to give them the knowledge and power to engage equitably at the negotiating table.

The report also urged the Government to acknowledge and celebrate the industrial heritage of the coal regions by incentivising the re-usage of former mine and power station sites for energy generation, industrial development or environmental remediation.

“Another insight in the report is that we must recognise post-mining land use as a key economic opportunity,” Dr Wright said.

“There exists 130,000 hectares of mining land to be rehabilitated in the Hunter Valley alone, and a post-mining regional land restoration plan should be created as part of the transitions process, overseen by a public authority.”

For the full list of recommendations and insights, read the report online.