Graph of the Day: Smashing Barnaby’s coal versus renewable jobs myth

Substantially more jobs would be created by replacing Australia’s ageing coal plants with wind and solar projects, according to new analysis commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation.

The issue of energy sector jobs has become a key election issue, including with deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce claiming over the weekend that there are “no jobs in the energy transition.”

The ACF analysis, conducted by Green Energy Markets analyst Tristan Edis, shows this is nonsense by detailing the new jobs that would be created if renewable energy projects were constructred to replace the 2,880MW Eraring coal-fired power station.

The analysis found that building enough solar capacity to replace the Eraring power station would create 14,415 construction jobs, while replacing the coal plant with wind power would create 13,339 jobs.

Replacing the Eraring power station through the installation of rooftop solar would lead to a massive 63,500 jobs.

In comparison, replacing Eraring with another coal plant would create just 8,576 jobs, and replacing it with gas generators would suppport just 1,566 jobs.

Source: Australian Conservation Foundation.

“Renewable energy is the winning option for communities that have for decades relied on coal-fired power stations which are now on their last legs,” Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said.

“In the Hunter Valley in NSW, the Latrobe Valley in Victoria and Gladstone in Queensland, locals have for many years depended on jobs linked to coal mines and power stations. Replacing old coal fired generators with renewables will bring a jobs boom to those regions.”

The analysis also found that powering one million Australian homes with rooftop solar would create more than 26,000 jobs, while large-scale solar or wind energy projects created around 6,000 and 5,600 jobs respectively.

Meanwhile, powering one million homes with a coal fired power station would create just 3,573 jobs, and gas plants would create just over 650 jobs.

“The numbers show replacing the energy output of a coal-fired power station with rooftop solar plus batteries is the best way to create construction jobs, with solar farms second best and wind farms third,” O’Shanassy said.

“Replacing old coal with new coal comes a distant fourth in construction jobs, while new gas is the worst creator of energy construction jobs.”

“The energy we use to power our lives is changing to renewables because coal and gas are damaging our climate. Renewables are cheaper, more reliable and create lots of jobs,” O’Shanassy added.

“Clinging to fossil fuels, makes climate change worse, creates fewer jobs and leads to higher electricity bills. That is not what Australians want.”

Origin Energy, which owns the Eraring power station, announced that it would accelerate the closure of the plant, which is now scheduled to occur by 2025.