Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) Chief Executive Daniel Westerman has said that gas will continue to play an important role in Australia's energy future.
Mr Westerman, who started his position as AEMO CEO in May, delivered the comments at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) address yesterday. His speech followed the recent news that AEMO has set a 2025 target to equip the National Electricity Market to handle 100 per cent renewable energy generation.
"In Australia, gas seems to have become the most debated piece of the energy jigsaw. I don't think it needs to be," Mr Westerman said.
"Gas firming is currently invaluable, since it can be called on for short periods or long."
In his speech, Mr Westerman expressed his support for gas as part of the future energy mix, which he said could support renewable uptake by providing security for "when the sun isn't shining, the wind isn't blowing, and other storage can't bridge the gap".
The full speech can be accessed here.
