86 per cent of Victoria's energy comes from brown coal power, but it's also one of our highest pollutants. Aluminium company Alcoa - the state's main exporter - has joined with Loy Yang Power, which will provide brown coal power to their smelting plants near Geelong until 2032.

How will this affect efforts to combat climate change? Why coal instead of renewable energy like wind or solar power?

Naomi Black speaks to the managing director of Alcoa Australia, Alan Cransberg, and Victoria McKenzie-McHarg from Environment Victoria.

Audio: 

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ALCOA - SYNcast.mp3