Heating up the energy debate

With the high levels of coal in Australia, weaning the nation from an easily extracted fossil fuel source to a renewable, greener one is difficult. The current governmental impasse on the possibility of an emissions trading scheme and carbon tax has not helped further the growth of the renewable energy industry. The very nature of generating electricity via geothermal sources is also not well known within Australia. A number of geothermal exploration and engineering firms have highlighted the current aura of uncertainty caused by the deferment of the emissions trading scheme and not defining carbon taxes as the major stumbling block for the development of geothermal energy in Australia. Despite a Geothermal Drilling Program grant, the high initial cost of geothermal exploration and drilling has reduced the impact of this grant. The real issue is the ability to supply the energy base load currently serviced by the much cheaper coal fuel and Australia's position as the top global exporter of coal.