Smart Energy Council Chief Executive David McElrea joined Tom Elliott on 3AW Melbourne for an in-depth discussion about waste-to-energy, renewable electricity and how Australia can meet growing energy demand as coal-fired power stations retire.
The interview began with the question of whether burning household rubbish to produce electricity could provide a better alternative to sending waste to landfill. David explained that the Smart Energy Council commissioned its new report, Waste-to-Energy in Australia: Energy Solution or Problem?, to scrutinise claims that waste-to-energy is renewable and low emissions.
The report finds that waste-to-energy is not renewable energy and is not a low-emissions source of electricity. David said its emissions can be close to those of coal-fired generation and higher than gas-fired generation.
The discussion also explored alternatives to both landfill and incineration. David pointed to better waste-management approaches, including separating organic materials and capturing methane through controlled processes, alongside reducing waste and recovering reusable materials before considering energy generation.
David warned that building waste-to-energy facilities with operating lives of around 30 years could lock communities into supplying rubbish to incinerators for decades. This could undermine efforts to reduce waste, improve recycling and transition towards a genuine circular economy.
The conversation broadened into a debate about Victoria’s electricity supply, the retirement of coal-fired power stations, renewable generation, transmission and battery storage. David argued that Australia’s future electricity system should be built around abundant solar and wind generation, supported by storage, a connected national electricity network and limited dispatchable backup when required.
He also stressed that coal-fired power stations are ageing, increasingly unreliable and expensive, while renewable energy remains the lowest-cost source of new electricity generation. Waste-to-energy, he said, should not distract from investment in genuine renewable energy and storage.
Read the research report here
Read the Smart Energy Council media release here
Listen to the 3AW Melbourne interview with Tom Elliott
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Media Contact: Tim Lamacraft, General Manager, Media & Communications
