Renewable backers anxious as Australia’s energy debate goes nuclear

SYDNEY — A proposal by Australia’s opposition Coalition to pursue nuclear power is sparking concerns that the increasingly politicized debate over renewable energy could hinder already lagging investment in large-scale solar, wind and battery projects.

Australia’s energy grid is undergoing a major shift. Its aging coal-fired power stations, which provided 64% of the country’s electricity over the past 12 months, are approaching the end of their lives, and the government aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.