Hitting climate goals means no coal power, and no new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, report finds - Renew Economy

A report has outlined that meeting Australia's climate goals requires phasing out coal power and ending sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035. The analysis maps the pathway needed to align with temperature targets, identifying these two sectors as critical to emissions reduction.

Where this fits

The report confirms the scale of transformation required but does not address how the electricity grid will be firmed once coal exits. Coal plants provide firm, dispatchable power around the clock; their removal leaves a gap that must be filled by either gas generation or battery storage at scale. The report's silence on grid firming costs and on Australia's supply-chain dependence for batteries, inverters and solar panels reflects a pattern: climate pathway documents often quantify the renewable capacity needed but under-count the whole-system cost of replacing firm power and the geopolitical exposure that emerges when battery supply chains run through China.

What it means

Australia is committing to a generation transition without secure supply of the critical materials and components that make it work. A 2035 coal exit paired with a vehicle electrification push will drive battery demand sharply upward precisely when China controls battery cell manufacturing, processing of lithium and cobalt, and inverter production. The electricity grid will depend on gas for firming for decades, locking in fossil fuel dependence even as coal is removed. A firm, energy-dense alternative, nuclear generation, remains banned by law. The pathway as framed trades direct coal emissions for indirect emissions in China's supply chain, grid reliability on weather and gas, and energy sovereignty for strategic dependence.