Experts have questioned whether WA will be able to close its coal power stations as planned. 

Data released by the Clean Energy Regulator suggests that the Western Australian energy grid is not embracing renewables quickly enough to transition away from coal by the end of the decade, as the state government has committed to. 

Only 5 per cent of the renewable energy capacity deemed either “committed” or “probable” last year was in WA, which is about half of what the state would get on a per-capita basis. 

Some experts suggest that the problem for projects is that they cannot get a connection into the grid. If renewables cannot be built and connected to the grid in time, the state government will effectively be left with two options: increase reliance on gas or drag out the life span of coal. 

The state government has not ruled out adding new gas-fired capacity before 2030, but some believe that option would bring harsh criticism too. 

UWA Centre for Energy director Dongke Zhang believes natural gas is the most reliable and logical path towards a low-carbon future as the state moves away from coal.

“Natural gas is uniquely important for WA for two reasons,” he says.

“Number one, natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel, so by all means natural gas is the most reliable and logical, scientifically, logical path towards [a] low-carbon future as we move away from coal.

“Second, natural gas is a rich resource in WA, relative to other jurisdictions, and we are one of the largest LNG producers and exporters and we have huge quantities of natural gas that can serve our economy.”

However, critics accuse the WA government of being “too close to the LNG industry” to call for tougher action on climate change.