---
title: ‘World first’ as renewables drive down energy prices, but coal-reliant states fall behind
description: New figures reveal record wind and solar output, and record-low output from fossil fuel generators across the September quarter.
---
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au)
[](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy)
The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
# ‘World first’ as renewables drive down energy prices, but coal-reliant states fall behind
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
New figures reveal record wind and solar output, and record-low output from fossil fuel generators across the September quarter. As a result, electricity prices are falling in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria – where solar and wind resources are abundant – but rising in coal-reliant New South Wales and Queensland.
Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest is set to announce an MOU with AGL today over the opportunity to transform AGL’s coal-burning power station Liddell into a green energy hub.
And new analysis by The Australia Institute has raised doubts around the claimed emissions reductions of Santos’ Moomba carbon capture and storage project being developed with the assistance of millions in federal government subsidies.
[‘A world first’: Renewables drive down energy prices and push out gas and coal](https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/consumer/2021/12/07/renewables-rush-energy-prices/)
Record output from solar and wind generators is driving fossil fuels out of the electricity market, pushing down power prices and cutting emissions faster than the government’s projections.
[AGL, Fortescue Future Industries in hydrogen deal for Liddell coal plant](https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/agl-fortescue-future-industries-in-hydrogen-deal-for-liddell-coal-plant/news-story/957f7aeb7f6cbdd1884ce77717caf9a4)
Andrew Forrest is taking his hydrogen crusade into the heart of NSW coal country, with his Fortescue Future Industries set to play a role in the transformation of AGL’s Liddell plant into a green energy hub.
[Doubts raised over emissions cuts at Santos CCS project receiving government subsidies](https://reneweconomy.com.au/doubts-raised-over-emissions-cuts-at-santos-ccs-project-receiving-government-subsidies/)
New analysis by The Australia Institute raises doubts around the Moomba carbon capture and storage project being developed with the assistance of millions in federal government subsidies, with suggestions it could lead to an overall increase in the use of fossil fuels.
[Two years after 19 of the threatened greater gliders were recorded in remote forest, the area was listed for logging](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-08/greater-gliders-found-east-gippsland-forest-to-be-logged/100667322)
Greater gliders are becoming increasingly harder to spot. Professor Brendan Wintle says greater glider numbers are in steep decline, with a combination of bushfires, climate change and logging threatening its existence.
[NSW police seek to auction off car of convicted anti-coal activist under Proceeds of Crime Act](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/08/nsw-police-seek-to-auction-off-car-of-convicted-anti-coal-activist-under-proceeds-of-act)
NSW police have sought to confiscate and auction a station wagon belonging to a young climate activist after it was seized during her arrest, with a criminal lawyer saying it seemed like a “long bow” to connect the car to the woman’s activism.
[Protest calls for NSW Minister Matt Kean to reject Kurri Kurri gas power plant as decision looms](https://www.nationaltribune.com.au/protest-calls-for-nsw-minister-matt-kean-to-reject-kurri-kurri-gas-power-plant-as-decision-looms/)
Hunter Valley locals will protest outside Matt Kean’s office today over the climate impacts of burning fossil fuels, and the lack of long-term economic benefits and ongoing jobs the Kurri Kurri gas and diesel plant will bring to the Hunter Valley community.
[Coal](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/coal), [gas](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/gas), [energy policy](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/energy-policy), [AGL](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/agl)
### Will you share with your friends?
[Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/world-first-as-renewables-drive-down-energy-prices-but-coal-reliant-states-fall-behind%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [Share on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Check%20out%20this%20thing%20from%20Greenpeace!%20https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/world-first-as-renewables-drive-down-energy-prices-but-coal-reliant-states-fall-behind%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dwhatsapp) [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/world-first-as-renewables-drive-down-energy-prices-but-coal-reliant-states-fall-behind%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/world-first-as-renewables-drive-down-energy-prices-but-coal-reliant-states-fall-behind%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=)
[Go to the website](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
## More news
### [Ahead of the UN IPCC climate report, Australia's in the spotlight again](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/on-the-verge-of-the-un-ipcc-climate-report-australias-in-the-spotlight-again)
On the verge of release of the UN IPCC climate report, which maps out scenarios for our climate...
### [Hottest day on record in parts of WA as temperature reaches 50C](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/hottest-day-on-record-in-parts-of-wa-as-temperature-reaches-50c)
Towns across Western Australia have recorded some of the hottest weather ever recorded in the...
### [BOM's first winter forecast for 2024 declares it could be one of Australia's warmest on record](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/boms-first-winter-forecast-for-2024-declares-it-could-be-one-of-australias-warmest-on-record)
The Bureau of Meteorology's first winter forecast of 2024 has confidently declared one of the...
Work like this is only made possible by our supporters. Greenpeace accepts NO government funding or corporate donations to remain impartial. To amplify meaningful climate activism in Australia, ***become a regular giver today.***
[Donate to Support Greenpeace](https://donate.greenpeace.org.au/)
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
Connect with us
**Call:** [1800 815 151](tel:1800815151)
Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past, present and future — and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia, the environmental movement and the Greenpeace crew.
© Greenpeace 2026. [Privacy Policy.](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/privacy-policy/)