Australia's oldest coal-fired power plant will shut down Friday as the country, once notorious for climate denialism, embarks upon a seismic shift towards renewable energy production. The Liddell power station, about three hours' drive north of Sydney, is the first in a series of ageing coal-fired generators slated to close in coming years. Energy and sustainability expert Mark Diesendorf says the ageing coal plants are "overdue for retirement and there's no economic argument" in replacing them. FILE IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES