Outcry at Australia's coal plant closures misses the point: change is coming | Adam Morton

Trying to heavy owners won’t hold back the renewables tide. It’s time to plan, and the blueprint exists

If ever there is a case where the headline doesn’t tell the full story it is the news that Victoria’s Yallourn power generator – one of Australia’s oldest and dirtiest coal plants – will shut earlier than planned.

The basic facts are clear: the owner, EnergyAustralia, had previously said the Latrobe Valley generator would close in 2032, and now it will be gone by 2028.

Related: Yallourn, one of Australia's last brown coal power stations, to close early in favour of giant battery

Related: Australia needs to cut emissions by at least 50% by 2030 to meet Paris goals, experts say

Related: Australian farmers call for renewable energy zones as Nationals push coal and nuclear

Adam Morton is Guardian Australia’s environment editor