The Australian electricity sector has recorded its biggest jump in emissions since 2001, as emissions from increased use of brown coal and black coal generators continues to grow since the repeal of the carbon price a year ago.

The latest update of Pitt & Sherry’s Cedex update for the month of July revealed that emissions from generators in the National Electricity Market (which covers all of Australia except W.A., the Northern Territory and some remote grids) grew 1.2 per cent over the previous two months.

Pitt & Sherry analyst Hugh Saddler says this is the biggest two month increase in NEM emissions since January 2001, when, by a remarkable coincidence, total emissions were at almost exactly the same level as they are now, although with lower demand.

Saddler’s analysis shows that the share of coal fired generation has jumped sharply over the past year to 76.3 per cent, with black coal accounting for 51.9 per cent of generation and brown coal 24.4 per cent

This comes amid claims from the Abbott government that its Direct Action program will deliver cuts in Australia’s emissions, although a new report noted that the top 20 power sector emitters will not be constrained in any way.

It also comes as the US introduces biting targets and emissions standards that will force the closure of many US coal plants – almost all of which are cleaner than Australia’s brown coal generators in Victoria.