Liddell coal station chimneys come down in a milestone for Australia's energy shift
The chimneys of the Liddell Power Station in New South Wales, one of Australia's oldest coal-fired plants, have been brought down in a controlled demolition. The site is set to host new-generation renewable storage and pilot hydrogen facilities. The operation is being seen as symbolic for Australia's 2030 emissions targets.
ABC News AustraliaFour chimneys at the Liddell Power Station, one of Australia's largest and oldest coal-fired plants, were brought down on Sunday in a controlled demolition in New South Wales. According to ABC News Australia, the demolition is the first major milestone in AGL Energy's 5.4 billion Australian-dollar plan to convert the Hunter Valley site into next-generation renewable-energy infrastructure.
Liddell entered service in 1971 and supplied a significant share of Australia's electricity generation for decades. AGL Energy chief executive Damien Nicks said in a statement that 'the Liddell site will become the Hunter Valley's new energy hub within three years with battery storage, wind integration and pilot hydrogen facilities'. Greens spokesperson Larissa Waters called the demolition 'critical to making climate commitments tangible', while Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said 'community employment programmes already cover every former Liddell worker'.
Roger Dargaville, an energy-economics researcher at Monash University, told the ABC that Australia will need similar closures to accelerate over the next five years if the country is to meet its 2030 emissions-reduction target. AGL plans to bring the battery facility into service in 2027 and to complete the hydrogen pilot project by mid-2028. This article is not investment or energy-policy advice.
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