Leading energy chief executives argue a coal safety net to smooth the exit away from fossil fuel generation will keep the supply of power reliable and affordable, as 2030 climate targets are frustrated by the insufficient pace of new sources of renewables and transmission.

Alinta Energy’s Jeff Dimery said that the rate of clean energy projects being developed is well below where it needs to be to reach the transition goals, which include 82 per cent renewable energy across the National Electricity Market in 2030, and 95 per cent in Victoria by 2035.