Guest Post by Rafe Champion: Famous last words?

Warwick McKibbin reckons Vladimir Putin might be the best thing that’s ever happened to the energy transition.

Speaking at The Australian Financial Review Business Summit on Tuesday, the economist, academic and former Reserve Bank board member argued that surging commodity prices caused by the war in Ukraine could force the urgent shift to clean energy to accelerate.

Really?

In the parallel universe Mark Mills at the Manhattan Institute has been sending warning signals for years that the push for intermittent energy in the west could have drastic geopolitical consequences. Here he explains how the conflict in the Ukraine has brought the drastic consequences upon us ahead of schedule.

Naivete about energy realities robbed the U.S. and its allies of important “soft power” options and helped finance Russia’s aggression. In the near term, our choices are limited, but continuing down the same energy path is a formula for yet more problems in the future.

He notes that the EU and the US over the past two decades spent more than $5 trillion and made countless mandates to replace oil, natural gas and coal.

This brought the hydrocarbon share of all energy use down by two percentage points to 84 percent while burning wood still supplies more energy than all the world’s solar panels and oil still fuels nearly 97 percent of all the world’s transportation.

While the west spent a great deal of money to phase out coal and gas, without going nuclear, Russia and China pressed on to develop their coal and gas resources and nuclear power as well.

Europe gets 25 percent and 40 percent, respectively, of all its oil and gas from Russia. For Germany, the shares are 35 percent and 70 percent, as well as 50 percent of its coal needs.

The pivot from Russia will be painful and retrieving the situation will take a long time – it is like turning around the Titanic.

Read the whole story,  it is very important and it is too densely packed to summarize.

STOP PRESS. Hungary bans grain exports, the first sign of an impending global food crisis.

You can take the conspiracy theory out of the story and it is still terrifying.

 

AND A BIT MORE TO GO ON WITHA REMINDER ABOUT THE SITUATION CAUSED BY OUR ENERGY POLICY

 South Australia is leading the way in the green transition and whenever the wind is low overnight SA depends on local gas plus imported coal power from Victoria.

https://newcatallaxy.wpcomstaging.com/2021/09/05/wind-power-fails-in-sa-vic/

10 out of 10 based on 66 ratings

119 comments to Guest Post by Rafe Champion: Famous last words?

  • #
    Mark Allinson

    “You can take the conspiracy theory out of the story and it is still terrifying.”

    I would say that it becomes even more terrifying if you take the conspiracy theory out of the story.

    That would leave us with the conclusion that our energy situation is being controlled by drooling, eye-rolling, sub-moronic dolts.

    380

    • #
      Bruce

      No, they know EXACTLY what they are doing and WHY.

      The potential “consequences” are anything but “unintended”.

      Make “Soylent Green” fiction again!

      Maybe this is the step in teh programme a few of us were wondering about last year; the kovid Kaper was almost seemlessly rolled over onto the Klimat Krises Kaper, and now, within three months, that has been supplemented by the Global food Crisis.

      Prepare to repel boarders!

      100

    • #
      MR166

      “That would leave us with the conclusion that our energy situation is being controlled by drooling, eye-rolling, sub-moronic dolts.”

      That is not even a possibility. Talk to any US Liberal and they will tell you how inferior the Right Wing mind is. 90% of our professors are very intelligent Liberals. Thus, the only reasonable conclusion is that all of this chaos has been planned by the Left. The “Cloward-Piven Strategy” is working better than anyone could have expected. The minds of our children have been turned into mush by these people!

      We are all doomed unless there is a mass awakening, and I hate to use this word, a total purge of the educational system and media.

      150

  • #
    RickWill

    Scott Morrison’s lack of climate ambition by not promising to curtail Australia’s fossil fuel exports is beginning to look inspired while, Trudeau, Boris, Macron and Biden are proving to be hypocrites devoid of any sense of reality.

    Scotty’s bit of coal in parliament image could well be a positive now. He defended coal when other’s were labelling it pollution.
    https://preview.redd.it/g6n3juorzl941.jpg?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=78d04cf725639f06e8da57b1c45e93c3b523416f

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    • #
      RickWill

      Thie linked chart will be positive for the bank accounts of coal miners in Australia:
      https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/coal-price?op=1

      And continue to supercharge Australia’s current account surplus.

      Iron ore has been the king of Australian exports for more than a decade but it could be very well on the cusp of changing. Rio Tinto’s move out of coal looks like a serious error now.

      TerraCom bought the Blair Athol mine for AUD1. Its revenue is now going to the moon.

      Climate Change will be relegated to the round file soon enough. When the climate prognosticators are defunded, they will become bitter and twisted as they seek out work that achieves something rather than spinning fairy tales.

      I am betting “green” hydrogen will run for about 10 years before reality sets in. It is like processing iron ore in Australia; billions spent, completely wasted and nothing has come of it but more scrap steel.

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      • #
        Bruce

        Insider trading? Follow the money!

        Blair Athol made its name om extracting the highest grade Anthracite on the planet. collapsing such an operation was a masterstroke by the guilty bastards.

        and the idiot box is being smothered with Feral Gummint ads extolling ruinables, especially “Hydrogen”.

        What a joke. Hydrogen is about the last fuel any sane person would try to deal with.Not because it is seriously flammable, but because it is “interesting to store and transport.

        It is also VERY dangerous when it burns, because it does so with NO odour and the flame is invisible.( The visible flames and palls of smoke seen in the “Hindenburg” crash came from the outer skin of the airship, the rubberized silk hydrogen “bags” and the fuel for the propulsion motors. And its flame front is slower and less “energetic than even the crappiest Unleaded fuel.

        This whole rock show REEKS of a Final Solution in search of a problem.

        120

    • #
      Dennis

      As he did at COP26 in Glasgow, and the PM refused demands for Australia to increase the Paris Agreement emissions target.

      A lot of political pressure was applied for Australia to commit to net zero emissions by 2050 but the PM rejected that as well, he said Australia has “an aspirational objective but subject to research and development of new technology, and without damaging the economy.

      Later via a video link to address delegates at the WEF Conference in Davos during January 2022 the PM spoke against WEF economics and said Australia will continue to support free enterprise businesses and employees targeting economic growth and prosperity.

      Of course, as demonstrated by the small Greens supporter group in Lismore yesterday holding signs painted on the back of Greens election posters and backed by Labor MPs there and elsewhere who joined in blaming PM Morrison and ignoring the natural disaster flooding and logistics problems getting people and equipment there to help locals, and the Local Area Patrol Police, Fire Brigade personnel, Rural Fire Service personnel, military reserve personnel, local State Emergency Services personnel and others who pitched in to help. Plus the first to arrive ADF helicopters performing flood rescues etc., the leftists grab every opportunity to protest and tell lies in the process.

      By the way, State Governments are primarily responsible for handling natural disasters including floods and bushfires, in NSW the State Emergency Services and related services funded via State Budgets.

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    • #
      Bill+In+Oz

      If that is what Warwick McKibbin thinks
      Then he is a brainless & clueless idiot !

      The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown us all
      Even some of the committed Greenists
      That forcing Australian, European, British households & businesses
      To move away from oil & gas and use solar & wind
      has lead to a huge global reliance on Russia for gas & oil.
      And it is the foreign exchange earned by those Russian exports
      Which has funded the buildup & renewal of the Russian armed forces.

      And those armed forces
      Are lead by a rogue bear named Putin,
      Intent on killing anyone that gets in his way.

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      • #
        Bill+In+Oz

        I’ve just finished an interesting reading a book by a British
        SAS non commissioned officer In the 1980-90’s named Tom Shore.
        his book is called “Pilgrim Spy” & was published in 2019.
        Putin figures in it on the sidelines of the book’s plot.
        During 1989 in East Germany Putin was a KGB major in Dresden in East Germany.
        In that role he supervised an “Old Guard” KGB arranged assassination attempt
        On USSR President Gorbachev when he visited Berlin in October 1989.
        This plot used members of the Bader Meinhoff Gang (AKA The Red Army faction ) in East Germany.
        The aim of the assassination was to stop the process Glaznost/Perestroika in the USSR.
        Tom Shore was partly instrumental in preventing preventing the assassination
        Fascinating stuff indeed !
        But shows what Putin was capable of even in 1989 – 32 years ago !.

        210

        • #
          Bill+In+Oz

          golly gosh !
          There really are pro Putin supporters here Jo !
          Pro Russian invaders !
          Pro Russian shelling of a children’s hospital…

          However Jo did you accumulate
          Such a band of blinded supporters ?

          012

          • #
            MP

            Maybe Bill, they have looked at both sides of the story and are neither pro nor con.

            You are also buying into the propaganda, because its who you want to believe.

            Hospital, mass graves, mass propaganda from both sides except one side you are not allowed to hear, Same as climate same as COVID, same script fed to you by the same people for the same purpose.

            161

            • #
              DOC

              Is it too hard to believe Putin’s own declarations reported in the flesh before the cameras where he cites several outlandish reasons for his attack on Ukraine? Unless one believes the translators are part of a conspiracy and deliberately giving false translations, I doubt anything could be clearer in what is going on. Does one not believe his threats when even the Russians admit to using thermobaric weapons in this ‘non-war’? All coins have heads and tails that may vary, but the reality is they are still coins. War is war, and how one builds conspiracies when the person making the coin states his own reasons for making it, is beyond me.

              00

              • #
                MP

                thermobaric weapons

                , where was your outrage when the USA uses the MOAB, crickets! The USA and the coalition of the willing killed a million civilians in Iraq. NATO’s bombing of Serbia and Libya, where you silent then.
                Why is a thermobaric bomb worse than any other bomb, when the objective of all bombs is to destroy.
                I heard Putin say he was dena#ifying Ukraine, I looked into that claim and it stands up. Cut off water to the Crimes, true. Ukraine killing its own people, appears to be true also, so what are these outlandish claims you state.
                Why would the coin not have two heads when the person making the coin also calls heads, why wouldn’t the translators be in on it, if your going to run a conspiracy campaign, better cover all bases.

                All of a sudden the ABC, Reuters, BBC, CNN are truth tellers, at least Russia have always been propaganda, that is the only sure thing in this.

                I have been watching live cams in Ukraine for weeks and have not seen one military vehicle on the roads. I saw an anti tank barricade (porcupines) being put in place by one person, one person can move these things, but it will stop a tank, maybe in your world.

                BS from both sides being fed to us by the lying media from all sides.

                You call yourself DOC, but your not a medical doctor, you did a doctorate along with a hundred others on this site who don’t call themselves DOC.

                You believe what the media tells you to believe, without an ounce of scepticism. Me I will worry about what is happening in my own country, to my own people.

                60

            • #
            • #
              Bill+In+Oz

              The Russians & Putin have already had their noses bloodied
              By the huge resistance from Ukrainian people.

              FACTS !!!
              The UKRAINIAN PEOPLE remember the 1930’s when millions of their people
              Died at Moscow’s orders.

              They remember the conquest of an Independent Ukraine in the 1920’s by the Red army.

              They remember the time when most of Ukraine was peacefully
              Part of Poland

              They remember the Occupation & Seizure of Ukraine from Poland
              By the Russian Czars in the 1770-80’s.

              Like the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the 1970’s
              Which ended in an abject withdrawal of Red Army troops,
              So too will this invasion of the Ukraine by murderous Putin’s minions

              Like the Russian conquest & occupations of East Germany,
              Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia,
              Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia & Lithuania
              Which ended in the abject withdrawal & humiliation of Russia
              So too will this invasion of the Ukraine by murderous Putin’s minions !

              00

            • #
              Lucky

              Maternity hospital supposedly just bombed- the photos were taken after a gas explosion in 2018.

              30

  • #
    Geoffrey Williams

    The Russian – Ukrainian war has brought to a head the ideological differences between the East and West. In the past the West has more had wealth and it’s ideology was all about ‘democracy’ and personal liberty. They have been indoctrinated as well as anywhere in China or Russia and need a cause to be able affirm their freedom, and their cause is protecting the environment. To this end they are controlled by their governments, green idealists and the media to replace fossil fuel energy sources for so called renewables. Now after decades of fossil energy shut down their chickens are coming home to roost.

    191

  • #
    Leo G

    … the war in Ukraine could force the urgent shift to clean energy to accelerate.

    The Great Reset has finally hit the fan, and the cleanliness of renewables is among the casualties.

    302

  • #
    Serge Wright

    Green stupidity has no limits. Their answer to all problems caused by RE is always more RE, even in the face of complete energy collapse, war and cultural extinction, this narrative continues. History will be damning of this zealotry, but the rest of society that knows better will still pay the price.

    360

  • #
    TdeF

    The war on the largest country in Europe both in size and population has revealed something, how much Europe and even China depend on the Ukraine for food. And much else. Especally cheap slave labour. Ukraine is by far the poorest country in Europe and 1/4 the Gross Product per capita of Russia. It is riddled with sickness like drug resitant TB. And as an open cut mine for Europe, has made many people fabulously wealthy which it could not do without the total complicity of the Ukranian government which has waged war on its own people in the Donbass and cut off the water supply to Crimea.

    Food shortage? Why not pay for the food stolen from Ukraine instead of wasting trillions on Windmills? Why not pay for the minerals? The whole structure of rapacious EU is based on cheap everthing from the dirt poor Ukranian people and it is one big secret. Like the war going on in Ethiopia which never makes the front pages as Ethiopia has nothing. It’s all about the money. White Lives matter too and slavery is alive and booming in Slavic Ukraine.

    So to the tens of thousands of unaccountable bureaucrats running the private EU, stop building windmills and pay for the Ukranian wheat and minerals. Then there would be no war. You have taken everything from the Ukranians and you only notice it when they stop work.

    343

    • #
      Leo G

      Ukraine is by far the poorest country in Europe …

      Yes- I thought Moldova would be poorer.
      What are the underlying causes?
      My short list includes Government corruption, Russian and American interference affecting economic management, corporatist exploitation and Russian aggression.

      161

      • #
        TdeF

        Similar but with only 2.6 million people against neighbour Ukraine’s 44 million it is an island between Romania and Ukraine, an historical oddity out of the corner of Ukraine. Much the same but without the kleptomaniac criminal government, independent Moldova has been a way for the people around Odessa to escape in a few hours drive.

        71

        • #
          TdeF

          And in Ukraine, the local police are the criminals. The whole enterprise is corrupt and Zelensky knows he is using the people as hostages to protect what is a totally criminal enterprise. It is governments which wage war to protect themselves and the people are just collateral damage.

          Stalin too appealed to patriotism and the Church to protect Russia in the Great Patriotic War which interrupted his mass m*rder of his own people. And Hitler thought the whole rotten enterprise would collapse, but he did not count on the love Russians have for their country and the fact that he was waging a war not of conquest but extermination.

          Zelensky would have known all about cutting the water off to Crimea and the endless criminal shelling and m*rder of Ukranians in the breakaway regions. He is no innocent victim of Russian aggression but he is a professional actor and comedian.

          245

          • #
            Bozotheclown

            I don’t agree with most all of what you are claiming. I have a personal connection once removed that says it is 100% different. Much of Ukraine is middle class compared to US or AU. They have solid ability to grow food.

            Your slanted view and willingness to bloviate is highly suspicious. Russia is the enemy of Ukraine not their current leader.

            In the mean time I’m helping some to get out to Poland and save their family from the violence Putin has wrought.

            If you were in Kiev I’d give you more time but I suspect you are in a comfortable Russian built chair.

            148

            • #
              TdeF

              I too have friends in Russia and Ukraine. Middle Class? What middle class? Middle class in Ukraine is having a real job and being able to afford one child. I have been there a few times, never met this middle class and the only time I feared the police was in Ukraine, not anywhere in Russia.

              One couple I know with their children just escaped to Moldova and then Romania. The reason most Ukranians are in Australia is that the whole system is criminal and they escaped with nothing because they had nothing.

              None of these conflicts are one sided. The Russians are very poor but the Ukranians much poorer, if that was possible. Perversely the countries on paper are rich.

              This is not Russia vs Ukraine. Supporting the people in Ukraine is not the same thing as supporting the kleptocracy they have for a government. The criminals became the government with independence and the actor they have for Prime Minister knows all about it. He speaks Russian. What happened to former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko? Just arrested, they are putting her back in jail again for another ten years.

              There has been civil war for eight years and it takes two to shell. Who shells their own people? Who knows how many were killed before the current conflict, but I have read 3,000. The recent slaughter in Odessa was barely reported in the West. The Russians have their mafia and the Ukranians have their government.

              The footprint of the EU and America is all over Ukraine. Joe and Hunter Biden for starters. Trump was impeached over Ukraine. And the prospective settlement being discussed is simple. Demilitarize the East and stop the killing. Turn on the water in Crimea. Do not join NATO. And the Russians will go home. Hopefully with the help of Israel in rapid shuttle diplomacy, they will settle soon, or it will get much worse for everyone.

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              • #
                Bozotheclown

                This is not Russia vs Ukraine.

                How bizarre a thing to say!

                Only when Russian troops are back behind a border respected for years.

                65

              • #
                TdeF

                What it is really is Germany, France, Britain and NATO and America vs Russia. The world’s biggest countries, China and India are staying right out of it. Others like Israel are trying to broker peace with leverage from the war in Syria and their own 1.5 native Million Russians and Ukranians.

                Ukraine and Ukranians are just the meat in the sandwich, a proxy for the West who are arming them. All against the tyrant, or at least that is the popular story in the press for my lifetime. My wish is for a speedy compromise which addresses the real reasons for this war, rather than just pouring Ukranian and Russian lives and foreign guns into the cauldron.

                This is deja vu. America never solved Korea or Vietnam or Afghanistan with this good guy vs bad guy approach. And how many Koreans, Vietnamese and Afghanis died in these proxy conflicts with Russia on the other side in every case. You end up having to negotiate.

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              • #
                PeterW

                It’s not NATO vs. Russia anywhere other than in the mind of paranoid Russians and consoiracy theorists.

                Partly because NATO is and always has been a defensive treaty.
                Partly because the Russian paranoia about being denied their rightful(?) place as a world power predates NATO by over a century.
                Partly because the NATO members would rather grow rich by trade than engage in ruinously expensive and potentially catastrophic war with a nuclear-armed nation.
                The probability of NATO invading Russia in any scenario not based on Russian aggression, is effectively zero.

                It IS about Russia vs. Ukraine because we have Putin’s own words to show that he wants to rebuild the former Soviet/Russian empire, and regaining Ukraine is one of the first steps in that process. This is the same Putin who invaded and occupied Crimea.

                Zelensky was elected with an overwhelming majority on a pro-independence and anti-corruption platform. He appears to have over-promised on the corruption front – although anyone who understands the subject knows that it is a multi-generational issue, but his wartime approval rating has gone through the roof. Nor are the Ukrainians fighting like conscripts or “hostages”. You’d have to be a fool to think otherwise, or have zero real knowledge of soldiers.
                It is the Russians – many of them conscripts – who have been low on motivation after discovering that the Ukrainians are not welcoming them as “fellow slavs” come to deliver them from slavery and oppression.

                Maybe the Ukrainians simply have too many memories of Russian arrogance and oppression ….

                55

              • #
                Honk R Smith

                “good guy vs bad guy approach”

                I find it funny that the same ideologues that go on about ‘tolerance’ and ‘rainbow’ acceptance of differences, suddenly switch to good vs. bad whenever it suits them.

                The same people that throw flowers will turn to ordinance on a dime.
                As long as other people’s children do the throwing.

                “a border respected for years”
                And men can bear children.

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              • #
                Honk R Smith

                Worried that I had used ‘bear’ as opposed to ‘bare’. I looked up the usage.
                The interweb said this defining ‘bear children’,

                “it is more common in religious language and is used when people don’t want to think about the specific realities of pregnancy.”

                What the … ???
                ‘They’ have lost their minds.

                30

              • #
                Honk R Smith

                Again, the Python Prophecies …

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFBOQzSk14c

                00

          • #
            Bill+In+Oz

            You’ve become a Russian Putinista TdeF !
            Reading, watching, listening far tooo much Russian propaganda

            There are no Ukrainian armed invaders in Russia
            (Though I suspect soon we hear that lying Putin claiming there are ! )
            ALL OF THE INVADERS ARE RUSSIANS IN UKRAINE !

            Next you’ll be telling us that the Ukrainian president us a Nazi
            Despite his Jewish heritage and despite him losing family to thre Nazis in WW2 !

            47

            • #
              Bill+In+Oz

              I challenge you TdeF,
              You are justifying a mass invasion of an independent country by Russia.
              And you justify it by referring to corruption and poverty in Ukraine.

              There are dozens of independent countries which have corruption and poverty.
              Yet you are the very first to justify invading such a country on those grounds.
              When then will you organise the Invasion of nearby PNG ?

              You justify it by saying that Ukraine cut off the water supply to the Crimea
              Crimea was seized by Russian back in 2014
              With help from ‘anonymous’ armed commandos who spoke only Russian.
              All the Ukrainians & most of the minority Turkish speakers,
              Who used to live there have now left Crimea.
              And Crimea has been resettled with Russians.

              So why should Ukraine supply them with water ?
              Let the Russians find their own now that they’ve conquered the place !

              56

    • #
      Ronin

      Did the Ukraine ever get their topsoil back from Germany or even get compensated for it.

      60

    • #
      Ed Zuiderwijk

      Putin shill alert!

      211

    • #
      Curious George

      The discussion above said many horrible things about Ukraine. They may all be true. The basic reason for a horrible corruption is COMMUNISM. Communism is an institutionalized corruption. Russian GDP per capita may be 4 times higher – if you really believe Putin, RT.com, or Russian predictions of a fast surgical operation. Russia is the most corrupt country I have ever visited.

      40

  • #
    Dennis

    This morning on the NSW Mid Coast I paid $1.977 a litre for diesel, but in Western Sydney last Saturday I paid $1.769 a litre, prices in the inner city suburbs were much higher.

    However, for me to buy the cheapest EV, being a China made MG would cost $41,990 retail plus on road costs and plus electricity recharging cables to suit the various different recharging stations. A 415V 3-Phase home electricity charging point would add several thousand dollars.

    My SUV 4WD can travel much further on a tank of diesel than the MG could travel fully charged, eighty per cent charge is recommended by the manufacturer. The MG cannot tow the heavy trailers I tow or luggage on board.

    The lowest retail price model of my SUV is $47,900 plus on road costs.

    My point being that even if diesel price increases to $3.00 a litre buying a small EV to save money is not cost effective or practical.

    290

    • #

      Whilst some will promotr the fuel and service cost savings for EVs,…there is one golden rule to remember..
      There is NO financial justification for choosing an EV over an equivalent ICE. !

      160

      • #
        Dennis

        I recently read a comment about an EV experience during the 2019 bushfires on the NSW South Coast, a tourist family discovered there was no electricity for a recharging station and could not escape the bushfire heading towards the town they were in.

        A young local man drove them and their luggage to a safe zone in his Toyota crew cab diesel ICEV, and he had spare fuel on board.

        220

        • #
          yarpos

          I guess part of EV ownership is having to think about things that you previously took for granted in using your car. Not sure an EV is a good option for summer bushfire season touring on a number of levels.

          20

    • #
      RickWill

      My point being that even if diesel price increases to $3.00 a litre buying a small EV to save money is not cost effective or practical.

      Two years ago, the three most popular vehicles in the USA all had tare weight in excess of 3,000kg. At least one had a hybrid option. Even these monster vehicles would have better fuel economy than small conventional ICE vehicles if they were hybrids.

      Small hybrids will do 1000km on 40 litres of fuel. They are the sensible option for Australia as Toyota well know.

      Also I doubt $3/litre will be the limit if the Russian war and sanctions grind on.

      The MG BEV is not yet what a useful BEV looks like. The Citreon shopping trolley is closer to the mark. Australia has unique conditions country wide with the exception of Tasmania for solar powered vehicles. I believe future BEVs will be closer to this vehicle:
      https://www.sunswift.com
      Than the Tesla behemoths.

      The Sunswift Violet has travelled from Perth to Sydney in under 6 days.
      https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2018/12/10/unsw-sunswift-solar-car-sets-guinness-world-record-for-efficiency/

      Indeed, the team of 14 students experienced a number of setbacks over the past year, including a rear suspension failure during the 2017 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge and a battery fire in October, but managed to complete the journey across Australia in just six days and two days ahead of schedule.

      I have done that trip in two days but required refuelling a few times. A friend did Perth to Sydney on a bicycle via the coastal route that included Melbourne in 11 days as part of his under 50 day trip around Australa – he was unsupported for the entire 15,000km.

      Hybrids are the here and now for Australia. Eventually, I see a lot of merit in solar powered vehicles in combination with batteries. It would make sense for the composites currently going into turbine blades to be redirected to light, durable road vehicles.

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      • #
        yarpos

        Despite all the red thumbs I tend to agree. Out of the current options to full ICE vehicles , hybrids tend to make the most sense. I have reservations abut their complexity and eventual cost of ownership, but they seem to be the most realistic path to high fuel efficiency and normal functionality.

        01

  • #
    ken

    If only………..
    ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER, CANBERRA
    “Energy security is a critical component of National Security of the nation.
    Since the Federal Government is responsible for National Security the Federal Government needs to ensure that energy security is maintained in all of its facets.
    The events of the last few weeks in Europe have underscored the importance of this issue, since many of the countries in Europe now find their energy security is grossly deficient and at the whim of a ruthless dictator.
    Australia’s situation is thankfully not in the same circumstances but is by no means ideal and circumstances could change overnight given the geopolitical instability the world is now experiencing. We have for decades allowed our gas and oil supplies be eroded by well-meaning but misguided restrictions and bans on exploration. This has occurred as State governments have been influenced by minority pressure groups that don’t necessarily have the long term National Security at heart. The same situation has lead to the depletion of our petroleum refining capacity and our petroleum reserve stocks. We have ample reserves of oil and gas to correct this position and we should access them.
    Australia needs to address and correct these issues urgently in the following manner.
    The Commonwealth will from today assume control of the assessment and approval of all exploration and mining applications Australia wide. This will ensure the necessary development of energy security to acceptable standards so that Australia is not beholden to any foreign state, friendly or otherwise, for supply of these critical resources. At the same time The Commonwealth will put in place a development plan to restore the nation’s petroleum refining capacity and petroleum reserve stocks to satisfactory levels.
    We cannot afford to be left in our current vulnerable position any longer.”

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    • #
      greggg

      We need to extract oil from under Coober Pedy to make Australia oil independent, and open new refineries. Our current situation with diesel and petrol reserves is laughable.

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      • #
        Hasbeen

        WE have very large oil reserves, like the proven Rundle shale oil deposits. We must not only start harvesting it, but make it mandatory that only Australian refined fuels may be sold in Oz.

        Anything else is security stupidity.

        30

    • #
      Kalm Keith

      Did he really say that?

      Finally, some common sense.

      Did he mention the immediate dismantling of all wind and solar “Farms” as the first stage of the restoration process, or was this just another two Bob each way Scomomoment?

      50

      • #
        FarmerDoug2

        “Did he really say that?”
        More importantly, can he do that ?
        A few months ado I would have said he’d just get the Tony Abbott treatment but the vibes are getting better.
        Doug

        30

      • #
        GreatAuntJanet

        I thought Ken was wishful thinking?

        10

    • #
      MP

      Just flapping his gums saying what he thinks you want to hear while doing nothing.
      Australia has been drilled for oil for the last hundred years and is covered with capped wells. We don’t need exploration, we need extraction, refining and storage. Morrison just allowed one of our remaining three refineries to close and has the tax payer funding the remaining two to remain open, those two used to run three trains they are down to one train each all the while while stating we need more refining.

      4 years of useless, what has Morrison actually done other than blow tax payer cash. Do nothing and you cant do anything wrong.

      The thing with the net zero is, signing is voluntary, doing is compulsory, and we are doing.

      10

  • #
    Robber

    What next for the weak woke West? Wind-powered navies, solar-powered tanks ……

    100

    • #
      Dennis

      Imagine the logistical problems for an Army with Electric fighting vehicles including tanks supplying diesel generators and diesel fuel supplies, and finding a safe area to wait while recharging.

      It’s something like I read about a large commercial aircraft theoretically powered from batteries that would weigh more than a full aviation fuel load plus passengers and cargo normally carried to achieve the same range. Similar problem for road transport and batteries greatly reducing the freight payload.

      140

  • #
    • #
      Bill+In+Oz

      Lots of Australian farmers will welcome higher prices for their grain commodities.
      So regional towns can expect a boost in their economies.

      So too will the farmers in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay & Paraguay.
      All of these have been doing it tough in recent years.

      34

      • #
        Fran

        The shortage of nitrogenous fertilizer is going to bite hard into yields all over the world.

        51

      • #
        MP

        Let me guess Bill. You shop at Woolies, Coles and Cost co. You buy the cheap products made from off shore sources, dollar a litre milk.
        Those higher prices are going to end up on your grocery bill. You always had the option of buying the more expensive option and helping your farmers, do you.

        What makes no sense is these countries banning exports? You sell your surplus, keeping the surplus is still surplus of your needs.

        20

  • #
    wal1957

    South Australia is leading the way in the green transition and whenever the wind is low overnight SA depends on local gas plus imported coal power from Victoria.

    Lucky for SA that Victoriastan is not an enemy.
    If they keep closing down fossil fueled power stations the inevitable will happen however. Power shortages will occur. The eastern states will look after themselves as much as they can. SA will be given what little is left over, if any.
    The renewable energy lark is the greatest waste of money I have ever known in my lifetime.

    220

    • #
      Graeme#4

      From the figures I’ve seen for 2020, SA is a net importer of energy, and at higher prices. Haven’t seen figures for 2021 – does anybody have them?

      00

      • #
        Rafe+Champion

        They may have turned the corner and become net exporters but that is beside the point, they are still mendicants when the wind is below average and they will regularly go black when there is no coal power to spare from Victoria and Queensland (via NSW).

        40

    • #

      Energy
      efficiency,
      by design,
      is going
      d
      o
      w
      n.

      X-/ + 0-/

      20

  • #
    John Connor II

    Solar has a maximum efficiency of about 30% so about the minimum efficiency of a petrol engine and 60% that of a diesel engine.
    Solar panels also lose 10% output within hours of first use too.
    Can wind and solar produce tbe oil based products comprising the majority of products? Can solar or wind produce car tyres (for your ev) or cable insulation or paints or plastics?
    You CAN’T shutdown the oil industry!!
    No sun = no energy. No wind = no energy.
    No oil = no capacity to create solar/wind products.
    Cosmic particle harnesser = unlimited energy 24/7 but we can’t have that can we…

    110

    • #
      Ronin

      Also where is the bitumen for the roads going to come from ??

      150

      • #
        yarpos

        Roads? just stay in your village Ronin

        30

      • #

        Actually, concrete roads are cheaper first up but are very much cheaper in the long run like 50 yrs due to practically zero maintence.

        10

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          But Cementafriend, they’re a b*stard to dig up a few days after they’ve been laid. Standard bureaucratic practice if you’ve ever driven on a stretch of smooth road and a week later found that all sorts of ‘maintenance’ of services have to be done AFTER the new road is down.

          00

  • #
    Dennis

    ACHIEVING NET ZERO

    Please note members on the Advisory Council include Professors Ian Plimer and Peter Ridd;

    https://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2022/03/Kelly-Net-Zero-Progress-Report.pdf?mc_cid=3de10e3d7a&mc_eid=4961da7cb1

    61

    • #
      PeterS

      We already know that the net zero emission agenda is all about. It’s not about saving the world form some mythical catastrophic climate change. We already knwo that even if it were real, which it isn’t, achieving a net zero emissions target will not be of any benefit to the climate. It’s all about brining down the West to its knees so as to establish a NWO and totalitarian control of the people.

      141

  • #
    John Connor II

    Breaking: Biden’s Climate Czar John Kerry on migration: “Wait until you see 100 million people for whom the entire food production capacity has collapsed.”

    100M?
    and the rest!!!! Multiply that by 20
    China’s not stupid. They KNOW what’s coming. They know their history.
    The Chinese floods over the past year are like the Oz floods now. Destroyed their food production.

    Perhaps ScoMo should tell the flood victims about global cooling, natural cycles and increasing extreme weather on the cards and how a climate tax is pure nonsense. I sympathise with the flood victims but waving “climate action now” signs is like sacrificing someone to appease the gods.
    What will extreme weather do to solar and wind farms?

    140

    • #
      el+gordo

      Assuming we are heading for a mini ice age, Australia wasn’t badly impacted during the LIA.

      https://jennifermarohasy.com/2007/07/the-little-ice-age-in-australia/

      50

    • #
      Dennis

      Yes, from reading many comments about Chinese acquisitions of Australian businesses I know that most commentators on blogs and letters to editors do not understand what China wants, to access food sources.

      For example, there have been two dairy food companies sold in recent years, but the owners were Japanese companies selling the assets because of too low or no profitability, or satisfactory return on investment. The buyers are from China. Return On Investment is not a major consideration, food supply for export to China is the main objective.

      However, as Federal Government statistics indicate, only about 14 per cent of Australia’s farming lands are owned by foreign investors and the top two are the UK and US. China is about third or fourth position since adding Hong Kong investments in Australia to those of China.

      Which intrigues me when I read about China imposing restrictions and bans on food products exported from Australia in recent years, triggered apparently by The Australian Federal Government daring to suggest an inquiry into the source of COVID-19. China even banned Australian coal until their recent energy crisis forced them to allow entry of Australian coal exports.

      I have a feeling that China is watching the Russia situation carefully right now, trade sanctions and other penalties being applied by the vast majority of nations. And earlier watching after Brexit the renewal of trade negotiations and closer economic relations between Commonwealth of Nations member countries with outsiders Japan and United States of America expressing their interest in joining. Add the renewed QUAD (India, Australia, Japan, USA) defence cooperation arranged between President Trump and Prime Minister Morrison followed more recently by formation of AUKUS defence arrangements (Australia, UK & US) in 2021. The combined trade potential and defence military capabilities must be worrying for China.

      101

      • #
        Bruce

        Early in the Kovid Kaper, there was a steady stream of Cargo 747s arriving in Toowoomba and flying back to Hong Kong loaded with foodstuffs. It appears that much of the produce came via the vertically-integrated, paddock to plate, “supply chains” that are also operated in Australia by Chinese “interests” or their ‘Australian” proxies.

        Vast swathes of the Canadian pork industry was bough for serious money, starting a few years back. Part of the urgency was the result of African swine fever laying waste to the Chinese domestic industry.

        The “concerned citizens used to rant about US and Japanese operations buying up primary production in Australia; they were small beer by comparison. And the “complainers” of old seem conveniently silent on the current matter; funny, that.

        60

  • #
    PeterS

    One could argue that the West want to bring down Russia out of shear jealousy for Russia being so successful with fossil fuels. That’s just part of the story but it’s enough to cause concern about the misfits in the West who have no idea how Russia thinks let alone how stupid the West is for committing to net zero emissions. If they ever bothered to study their history, instead of goading Russia to the point of a world war they would be bending over backwards to be friends and trade with them, just as we have been with China, who happen to a far more dictatorial and sinister. Wouldn’t it be ironic if China ended up acting as the peacemaker? Not saying it’s likely but at the moment it’s one hope to avoid a world war. Another hope is that Putin offers the olive branch but I suspect the West today will torch it given their hatred of the Russian people. Sad really. We could so easily end this conflict and promote world peace but alas thus far things are not looking good, not so much because of what Russia is doing but because of what the West is doing to promote net zero emissions even at the risk of having a war with Russia to achieve that senseless goal.

    107

    • #
      Dennis

      As I posted at #13 net zero emissions is mission impossible when all is carefully considered.

      I have emailed that link to various Coalition MPs for their information, but with due regard for what Prime Minister Morrison has stated, Australia refused to commit to net zero and the PM said Australia has “an aspirational goal” subject to research and development of new technology and with no loss of economic prosperity.

      72

      • #
        PeterS

        Yes I know and I have responded as we passed ships, so to speak. Also, Australia has already officially committed to a net zero emissions target and regardless of the means of getting there, be it with renewables or other, such as hydrogen or even nuclear energy, the cost of electricity will simply go much higher thus crippling our economy even more. A nation can only survive if it has cheap as well as reliable electricity. It’s a fact of modern life in a competitive world. We must continue to use fossil fuels, not just for power generation but for many other vital reasons. Otherwise, we will simply be crippled, which is the real goal anyway by certain people to establish a NWO.

        91

        • #
          Dennis

          PeterS, as Judith Sloan reconfirmed writing in The Australian recently the Australian Federal Government has not committed to net zero.

          This CNN article explains Australia’s position;

          https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/25/australia/australia-climate-net-zero-intl/index.html

          34

          • #
            PeterS

            In other words, PM Morrison is telling fibs once again. To be expected.

            40

          • #
            Grogery

            What are all the hydro ads doing on TV then?

            40

            • #
              Dennis

              It’s politics, roughly 40% of the voters support Labor Greens and the other 40% support Liberal Nationals and the rest minor parties. Therefore politicians are forced to adopt sales and marketing strategies, sometimes called “puffery and hyperbole”, to ensure that they don’t get condemned by small vision voters, like climate hoax and warming believers, as compared to those of us who understand natural climate, weather events and Earth Cycles.

              Therefore rather than state adamantly opposition to net zero emissions the Coalition has “an aspirational goal” based on research and development of new technology and without damaging the economy, economic prosperity.

              00

          • #
            PeterS

            “Those Are The Facts”
            Our PM told fibs; lots of them. We should not reduce our dependence fossil fuels at all. On the contrary, we should increase our dependence on fossil fuels, at least until we find a more suitable and cost effective way to produce power. That might take decades. Meanwhile our very survival demands we increase our reliance on fossil fuels, not reduce it.

            20

            • #
              Dennis

              As it happens the State Governments have responsibility for the supply of energy in each State, they privatised electricity transmission lines and power stations, they have planning approval rights. The Snowy 02 pumped hydro project is Federal but to proceed required various State planning approvals, and the Federal Government purchased State shares in Snowy Mountains Hydro as part of the negotiations.

              Federal has proposed 4 gas fired generators for VIC, NSW and QLD but cannot do more, State Governments must approve development applications and the other requirements. Federal proposed a new HELE coal fired power station for North QLD and to underwrite the cost, that project along with three of four gas fired generators proposed remains to be approved by the QLD State Government. One gas fired generator for the Hunter Valley NSW was recently approved.

              Your “fibs” appear to be based on your lack of knowledge about the history, British Colonies formed the Federation of States and Commonwealth of Australia, they also formed the Federal Government, but the States have the most areas of responsibility and powers for internal affairs of the Federation.

              It is also important to understand international politics and affairs, the United Nations and influence in member nations, the treaties and agreements signed between UN and member nations and related influence the UN holds. And therefore that the PM of the Commonwealth of Australia and Cabinet Ministers (a PM is not the sole decision maker) must step carefully through a minefield of international pressures like at COP26 and as explained, eg; “aspirational goal” for net zero but no formal commitment, as the information above describes.

              10

  • #
    David Maddison

    It’s always been a worry that the mentally insane and uneducated will see the war in Ukraine as an excuse for more unreliable and expensive wind, solar and “green hydrogen”, and not to do the sensible thing and abandon it.

    190

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Dave:
      I think you should tone that down “mentally insane” to mentally incapable of reasoning and lacking the ability to do simple arithmetic. And “uneducated” to not knowing anything about physics, chemistry, palaeontology and electricity generation but quite capable of boring the listener for hours about gender equality (or should that be GENDERS?).

      Years ago my father was involved in interviewing 5 people wanting to be the Liberal candidate for the electorate. He described the choice as 2 solid (or stolid) types of below average intelligence, one with a highly inflated sense of his own importance, one as quite lunatic, and the last as someone the Army couldn’t (and wouldn’t) use to dig the latrines. Guess which became the candidate.

      111

      • #
        Ronin

        The last, because he could be controlled.

        40

      • #
        another ian

        Remember that other ranking –

        “Acting blank file on probation”?

        And the award of

        “Most Highly Derogatory Order of the Irremovable Finger”

        with “knuckles” for repeat qualifications

        50

      • #
        Bill+In+Oz

        Graeme, surely the “one with a highly inflated sense of his own importance”
        Was Alexander Downer !
        🙂

        53

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          No, this was many years ago.
          And if anyone is interested it didn’t matter as the Liberals lost.

          30

  • #
    Ronin

    Speaking of energy transition, how do these figures sound to you.

    Raise one cubic meter of lead 35 meters in the air and it will return 1Kwh.
    I was appalled when I read it, was on a renew energy site.

    30

    • #
      Serp

      That’s a big piece of lead to be raising thirty-five metre a whole 11,350 kilogram; some weight lifted some distance may store a kilowatt hour of energy but the product mgh using 35, 9.8 and 11350 won’t be close.

      Simply emphasises that one ought not expect rigour or even accidental correctness from a renewables advocate.

      40

    • #
      yarpos

      Is that what they mean by RE jobs? operating the grinder to hoist the tonnes of lead with you fellow slaves valued employees?

      00

  • #
    Geoff Sherrington

    Warwick McKibbin was writing climate papers in the early 2000s while at ANU. Some grants came from the the Australian Greenhouse Office. He was referenced in the Stern Review, one paper being –
    McKibbin, W., D. Pearce, and A. Stegman (2004): ‘Long-run projections for climate-change
    scenarios’, Brookings Discussion Papers in International Economics No 160, April, Washington,
    DC: The Brookings Institution.

    The opening lines of its abstract are an unreferenced
    “The prediction of future temperature increases depends critically on the projections of future greenhouse gas emissions. Yet there is a vigorous debate about how these projections should be undertaken … ”

    He came to the job as a devout greenhouse believer from way back. I do not know if he formed his views independently from the available science, or was just another of the people indoctrinated to believe. There seem to be so many of the latter persuasion. Geoff S

    70

  • #
    neil

    What a boon this could be for Australia if we have (retain) a government that has the foresight to make hay while the sun shines not one in coalition with the Greens this could be a golden age for Australia

    2021 Australia produced its largest wheat crop ever and all base food crops were at extreme high levels and those records will probably be broken in 2022.

    We can ramp up our coal and gas exports and fill the “Russian” gap, now there is a huge opportunity to produce synthetic petrol and diesel from methane and coal. Gas to liquid and coal to liquid are proven technologies used as far back a the Nazi’s in WW2 and the process is cheap producing very high grade fuels at the equivalent of about US $50/bbl or about AUD $1.00 at the pump.

    Despite the perception that Australia buys its military hardware from the US, we a a major exporter of cutting edge military tech including assault rifles, ammunition, armoured vehicles, spy drones for land sea and air. Micro surveillance satellites and even advanced pilotless autonomous attack aircraft that can shoot down jet fighters by themselves.

    And we can sell this stuff.

    41

    • #
      Dennis

      The Australian media is strangely silent about Australia’s defence industry, manufacturing as well as research and development, but make such more noise accusing the ADF of not being well equipped. The fact is that the Howard Coalition Government increased defence spending by 37% compared to Keating Labor 1995/96 and in 2006/07 spent $19.6 billion of defence with a commitment to a real funding increase of 3% every future year for the next decade.

      Rudd, Gillard & Rudd Labor cut defence and security spending, defence back to the level of 1938, so the ADF was effectively run down and future projects like replacement submarines were put on hold, a loss of 6 years potential equipping time. Of course ship building and aircraft like the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 development take decades to achieve. Since the revival of the QUAD and the new AUKUS defence arrangements nuclear submarines have been added to the future procurement programme, also long range missiles to be produced here under licence and a range of new sea, air and land based missiles offered.

      You mentioned advanced pilotless aircraft, the Boeing-RAAF joint venture designed and built in Australia, 6 now delivered to the RAAF for further development and testing, called Loyal Wingman, capable of being well armed and/or equipped for surveillance missions, flying alongside other RAAF aircraft, F-35 and F-18 fighter jets but others as well. JSF customer countries are evaluating the Loyal Wingman. They are built in QLD and flight testing was carried out at Woomera SA.

      Another initiative that annoys me because of media and other poorly informed critics is the space project, many seem to believe it’s science fiction and have no idea about the technology being developed not only to travel in space but to communicate and live in space, etc. Preparing for mining ventures on the Moon and Mars, and elsewhere in the future. Communities living on the Moon and Mars and bases for space travel further into space. How to grow food for those communities and to provision space travel vehicles.
      Australia has long been a minor player assisting other countries including USA and UK projects.

      How many know about ANSTO (Lucas heights Sydney nuclear facility producing radio isotopes for commercial and medical purposes) research projects? Like the recent announcement that very soon depleted uranium fuel will be recycled? Maybe using Helium-3 mined on the Moon as power station electricity generator fuel.

      00

      • #
        • #
          Dennis

          Joint Strike Fighter F-35 is often criticised my sections of the media but they seem to ignore the so many countries that have purchased these new generation aircraft, meaning the F-18 Super Hornets that replaced our RAAF F/A-18 Classic Hornets are fifth generation jet fighters, the “Growler” version is not usually sold outside the USAF, a high technology equipped aircraft that can jam enemy radar and communications and much more, but our RAAF have four and are seeking permission to replace the fifth that was lost in an accident. The RAAF is at present evaluating F-18 Super Hornet replacements for sometime around 2035, the F-35 is far more expensive.

          I guess that how Loyal Wingman development succeeds will influence the replacement or not of F-18.

          This pilot’s experience after changing over from F-16 to F-35 is worth reading and noting his comments on what F-35 was not designed for, close air to air combat, and how it out performs the highly regarded F-16;

          https://theaviationist.com/2016/03/01/heres-what-ive-learned-so-far-dogfighting-in-the-f-35-a-jsf-pilot-first-hand-account/

          00

    • #
      Bruce

      Don’t take all of Thales glossy brochres too seriously.

      They bought ADI because it was “package deal”. The bit thy REALLY wanted was the “electro-potics” division which wwas doing serious ground-breaking work.

      The other bit was the explosives / propellants division. This has been a bit of a goldmine with serious export sales.

      The “vehicle” division? Not so much.

      00

  • #
    • #
      Leo G

      You actually get other members of congress demanding that American should unilaterally declare the Ukraine airspace as a no fly zone. … American jets enforcing it … means American warplanes shooting down Russian ones. … that’s not enforcing a no fly zone, it’s a direct act of war by America on Russia

      There are some variant legal definitions of “act of war” but they all refer either to actions by one country against another considered sufficient to trigger a war or actions which occur in the context of an existing war which sustain or escalate the conflict.

      Russia has clearly committed multiple acts of war against Ukraine and it has been Russia that escalated existing conflicts between Russian proxies and Ukrainian defence forces in East Ukraine.

      If other governments directly act in defending Ukraine in a war unilaterally declared by Russia against Ukraine, then that is not necessarily an act of war.

      21

  • #
    another ian

    “Go read Tom Luongo on Russia and Ukraine. He has some trenchant thoughts.”

    https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2022/03/go-read-tom-luongo-on-russia-and.html

    00

  • #

    More Renewable Power!

    Yeah right!

    As the TonyfromOz broken record keeps saying (and will never stop saying it)

    EIGHTEEN THOUSAND MEGAWATTS…..

    That’s the lowest that Australian power consumption gets down to. The absolute minimum. Every other watt of consumed power is on top of that minimum. ALL of that power needs to be reliably delivered ….. ALL THE TIME.

    It’s an ABSOLUTE.

    Renewable power will NEVER deliver that ….. NEVER!

    It can’t even supply reliable power for the second smallest jurisdiction in the Country, South Australia, and that only requires 6.7% of the total.

    If these people are so sure of themselves, then go ahead. Shut it down. Show us. Only, please, afterwards, shoulder the blame for what happens. (Naah! There will always be an excuse.)

    Tony.

    150

    • #
      PeterS

      Given that fact, can we now safely say that both major parties are terrorists? After all, if their polices are to stop using fossil fuel ASAP, and in doing so it means we will have blackouts much of the time, then it means they want to destroy our nation in every way imaginable. Of course one could argue our politicians are just plain stupid and don’t know what they are doing but that sort of excuse won’t wash. They are supposed to be elected representatives who act accordingly for the health and safety of the people. If they adopt policies that clearly go against that theme, then the buck stops with them and they need to be held to account. Given the gravity of the situation, the penalty should be commensurate to that afforded to terrorists.

      30

      • #
        Dennis

        A history lesson – It was the Gillard Labor Federal Government that increased the Howard Coalition Government after Kyoto Conference 3% renewable energy trial to about 30% mandated renewable energy, and at that time Labor introduced their carbon tax of 10% and renewable energy surcharge of 10%, plus 10% GST.

        SA State Labor was first to push for renewables to replace State owned coal fired power stations and demolish them. Labor in VIC and NSW soon followed with privatisation of State owned electricity assets and pushing planning approvals for wind and solar installations. The Coalition State Governments following inherited the transition including privatisation via sales of electricity assets, in other words locked in.

        Federal Government has no power to grant planning permission for power stations, renewable energy installations, electricity transmission lines, water storage dams, or other state-nation building infrastructure projects, public or private sector applications.

        On the other hand when planning approval is granted Green groups immediately lodge appeals in the Environment Court system and whatever other delaying tactics they can indulge themselves with.

        And then, above all, comes United Nations influence via treaties and agreements signed over the past seventy plus years, legislated into law in member nations, regulations and compliance costs added by State governments and Local Councils.

        Consider the 1975 UN Lima Agreement that resulted in a heavy loss of manufacturing industry here, the UN Agenda 21 signed around 1990 by Keating Labor that has wide impact on environmental impacts like new dam proposals, and many other projects proposed. And then other UN agreements like Kyoto and then Paris Agreement on emissions reduction and impact on fossil fuel applications.

        00

  • #
    Dave in the States

    “Energy transformation.” It’s the religion of the state now. It is a imposition of a state religion on everybody else.

    30

  • #
    Peter Fitzroy

    Cost of wind, solar, hydro has not changed, unlike oil and gas

    17

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Not yet, the cost of new wind turbines and solar panels will rise substantially because they require oil & gas (and coal) to mine ores, transport and refine them, then put the parts together and move them into place.

      90

      • #
        DOC

        Graeme 3. That’s true, but if I was China, which makes most of these things, I would fix the price as low as possible, which can be done in a dictatorship. It’s the cheapest form of ‘warfare’ where it’s enemies – us – are literally committing hara kiri on their own economies, chasing the destructive ghosts of climate change. The religion is so strong that the leaders are all in harmony around the world , totally blind to the known proven fatal inadequacies of the renewable Gods they believe in and follow. They even allow Russia and China to be atheists to the cause and prosper in manufacturing and providing all our essentials, including the weapons that we use to commit ‘suicide’. At minimal price for a ticket, China and Russia are a well entertained audience delighted at the western performance of the greatest tragedy ever composed.

        11

      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        but that will not affect the cost of the already installed units.

        01

        • #
          b.nice

          Just the replacement cost after their short life span.

          20

        • #
          Dennis

          Consider the massive fleet of wind turbines needed to achieve the capacity factor of a coal fired power station, and that the accountable write off operating life of a power stations is usually based on 50 years, wind turbines 20 years on average, so to achieve 50 years that massive fleet must be removed and replaced twice to then reach 60 years.

          The power station well maintained could continue generating for at least 80 years.

          20

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          What about the cost of lubricants?
          No going back to Whale oil or Bone oil. Better than Palm Oil – Oops! 30% of the tropical rain forests in Borneo destroyed to plant Palm Oil trees, followed by extinction threat to OrangUtans followed by Greens deciding Palm Oil was bad, followed by lots of tree burning giving off CO2.
          There is no problem that The Greens cannot make worse!

          10

    • #
      yarpos

      Its changing all the time and rising as long as they install more. Increased complexity due to intermittency, increased costs to try an compensate (batteries and synch condensors) , redundancy for zero output events, extra provision for early replacement due to short service life , increased cost of transmission line webs.

      The suggestion that its a rainbows and unicorns fixed cost is fantasy.

      10

  • #
    PeterS

    Oh no, I hope this is not true. We all saw what happened in Canada not long ago. Is this another one of those unintended consequences? Perhaps even intended?

    Just to Let you Know Shortages of CASH Developing & Silver

    00

    • #
      Dennis

      Australia has been called “The Lucky Country”, wealthy despite too many poor quality politicians, and one of the reasons for our nation’s wealth is the substantial known deposits of Gold and Silver still in the ground.

      But add a wealth of other energy and minerals not yet exploited, annoyingly quite a lot because of Green groups opposition and court appeals whenever planning approval (State Government’s responsibility) is granted.

      Australia is also lucky to have farmers who produce quality products and far more than we need to feed our population, so exported to feed export markets and earn foreign revenue for Australia as well.

      20

  • #
    Kim

    SHTF prep. Been doing it for a few years. Have increased it a gear or two recently.

    00