In Australia there was a belief (false? unmet?) that gas would displace coal, as wind and solar took up major load. What seems to be happening is that gas plant owners bid for spot profit and then turn off, and coal continues to secure the load contracts it needs to be left pumping out electricity.
Maybe it needs more pumped hydro or batteries. Maybe it needs more directions from the regulator.
Gas should be a cleaner alternate to coal for supply of power via highly efficient gas turbines. They're jet engines. We know they work. This should be a no-brainer.
I believe South Australia, which is one of the largest solar/wind-mostly nets in the world, has two or three gas peakers, but it also uses an inter-state interconnector so has indirect access to cheap coal sourced electricity from NSW and Vic. Kinda cheating.
