Great article. Unfortunately it appears that Australia is destined for much higher energy prices and, potentially, blackouts, as Spain recently experienced due to its high renewables grid penetration. Until an energy crisis emerges due to renewables, we will be hostage to Labor’s renewables demagogy. Nuclear is inevitable in Australia because physics cannot be denied. However an Australian civil nuclear industry has been set back for years due to the election result. In the meantime energy prices will continue to rise, directly and indirectly raising the cost of business, and living.
100% agree on the whole "nuclear is inevitable in Australia because physics can't be denied". The problem is that Labor and the renewables advocates fully believe that ideology can trump physics...
My concern is that solar panels are mostly made in China from rare minerals dug out of the ground using questionable practices. They are currently not recycled and are simply adding to the problem of waste. They leach toxins into the soil and I won't have them on my roof as I am only have tank water. If I thought I wasn't contributing to the degradation of the planet by getting them, I'd have no problem with them.
Well Roger, you stick with your "made by slave labour in coal powered factories, wrapped in plastic and shipped to Australia in diesel ships" solar panels and I will wait patiently for a more ethical and sustainable alternative.
Even worse, using a wealthy virtue signaller who chooses to sit in the dark as a shining example for the rest of us completely ignores what the grid offers society overall as a life support system. Not only does he still need to tap into the grid, so do hospitals, industry, critical infrastructure such as mains water, sewage - the list goes on.
Very well said. The AFR doesn’t allow comments on any of their articles, imho, they are shills for the grifters that benefit from the so called “energy transition.”
It’s yet to be shown that a home solar system will pay for itself over its limited life, even taking into account today’s increased cost of electricity via the grid that we’re being ransomed against. And not even putting a $ value on the differences in abundance and full-time reliability.
I am waiting for a Murray Darling toxic waste pollution crisis in 30 years. Meanwhile why not make the landholders pay for the fixed costs of network infrastructure the availability of which adds value to their lands? The NSW land rating system was designed to do this and it is economically efficient..
Great article. Unfortunately it appears that Australia is destined for much higher energy prices and, potentially, blackouts, as Spain recently experienced due to its high renewables grid penetration. Until an energy crisis emerges due to renewables, we will be hostage to Labor’s renewables demagogy. Nuclear is inevitable in Australia because physics cannot be denied. However an Australian civil nuclear industry has been set back for years due to the election result. In the meantime energy prices will continue to rise, directly and indirectly raising the cost of business, and living.
100% agree on the whole "nuclear is inevitable in Australia because physics can't be denied". The problem is that Labor and the renewables advocates fully believe that ideology can trump physics...
My concern is that solar panels are mostly made in China from rare minerals dug out of the ground using questionable practices. They are currently not recycled and are simply adding to the problem of waste. They leach toxins into the soil and I won't have them on my roof as I am only have tank water. If I thought I wasn't contributing to the degradation of the planet by getting them, I'd have no problem with them.
And by not using solar panels, and burning coal/oil/gas you are contributing to the degradation of the planet.
Well Roger, you stick with your "made by slave labour in coal powered factories, wrapped in plastic and shipped to Australia in diesel ships" solar panels and I will wait patiently for a more ethical and sustainable alternative.
Hi Chris, this article is rather depressing but of course it all true. Have ask AFR to publish this?
Chris, if you keep writing articles like this you're going to rival Henry Ergas as one of Australia's living treasures ...
Even worse, using a wealthy virtue signaller who chooses to sit in the dark as a shining example for the rest of us completely ignores what the grid offers society overall as a life support system. Not only does he still need to tap into the grid, so do hospitals, industry, critical infrastructure such as mains water, sewage - the list goes on.
Very well said. The AFR doesn’t allow comments on any of their articles, imho, they are shills for the grifters that benefit from the so called “energy transition.”
Riveting summary dark age that Australia is entering.
Overturning this ideological madness should be a primary policy of the Liberql National party, to win government in 2028.
It’s yet to be shown that a home solar system will pay for itself over its limited life, even taking into account today’s increased cost of electricity via the grid that we’re being ransomed against. And not even putting a $ value on the differences in abundance and full-time reliability.
These people will boast about how they're able to pick themselves up off the ground with the bucket they're standing in.
So much wishful thinking from the blinkered apostles and no inconvenient facts. Keep at’m Chris!
Utterly brilliant Chris.
Thanks for an excellent counter to an article disconnected from reality
I am waiting for a Murray Darling toxic waste pollution crisis in 30 years. Meanwhile why not make the landholders pay for the fixed costs of network infrastructure the availability of which adds value to their lands? The NSW land rating system was designed to do this and it is economically efficient..
Hi Chris, can you clarify, do you accept the science of climate change?
What’s that, Tony? Please specify. What difference does it make to the facts, and the testing of hypotheses? Have you a climate change science
‘Nicene creed’ that we can all recite?