Tag: Energy

Informed Comment

The insane pinball game that masquerades as Coalition energy policy – » The Australian Independent Media Network

“The days of subsidies in energy are over, whether it is for coal, wind, solar, any of them,” the treasurer said. “That is the way I think you get the best functioning energy market with the lowest possible price for businesses and for households and that is what the national energy guarantee and our energy policies are designed to achieve.” Fast forward to this week when Keith Pitt, the minister for resources, water and northern Australia, blocked a loan for the Kaban green energy hub which had been approved by the Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility (Naif) in January. The blocked funding would have helped build a 157-megawatt windfarm and 100MW battery and included a 320km transmission line upgrade. Pitt’s reason for overruling the decision was that investment in “mature technologies” like wind and solar energy would be driven by the private sector whilst the government’s policy was to support dispatchable generation. I’m not sure what Mr Pitt thinks batteries are for.

Source: The insane pinball game that masquerades as Coalition energy policy – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Economic Management

Morrison’s media code could be catastrophic for climate and energy news – Michael West

Morrison’s media code could be catastrophic for climate and energy news – Michael West

Climate denial from Rupert Murdoch’s toxic Sky News, Buffy the Vampire Slayer from Junkee. This sort of “news” will be on display on Google News Showcase as a result of the government’s regressive new media laws. It is a travesty for journalism and dangerous to climate and energy transition, writes Giles Parkinson, founder of independent media site Renew Economy.

Morrison’s media code could be catastrophic for climate and energy news – Michael West
LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

National Party waging war against Australian environment

THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA is reporting that the Nationals are revolting on climate change, demanding the new $1 billion Grid Reliability Fund be allowed to invest in coal and nuclear power.

National Party waging war against Australian environment
Germany

Germany names hydrogen the hero of its post-coal future
Germany's Minister for Research Anja Karliczek is leading the development of the country's hydrogen industry.
Germany’s Minister for Research Anja Karliczek is leading the development of the country’s hydrogen industry.Credit:Getty

Will Germany finally shake the LNP out of it’s sleepwalking dream about coal?

Australian wind and solar farms could help Germany phase out its use of coal under a major export deal which also promises to create thousands of new jobs. Europe’s largest economy has identified Australia as a potential supplier of the vast quantities of hydrogen needed to decarbonise its heavy industry in order to adhere to the Paris climate accord and to achieve Chancellor Angela Merkel’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

Germany names hydrogen the hero of its post-coal future
Informed Comment

We are not facing an energy trilemma – » The Australian Independent Media Network

We cannot eliminate emissions entirely so we must be very selective in our activities so we can try to get back to a level that can be managed by the natural carbon cycle instead of powering on past saturation point.

The fools who say Australia’s contribution is negligible have obviously never done any titration – it’s that last drop that causes the reaction to happen.

In comparison, reliability and affordability of energy are miniscule issues.

via We are not facing an energy trilemma – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

If Abbott and Kelly want to cross the floor, let them – » The Australian Independent Media Network

One of the most important roles of government is to prioritise. They must identify the challenges facing us and the consequences of inaction. They must rank the urgency of responding to problems and decide on the most efficient use of resources to address them.

The current debate about energy policy is a prime example of a government failing to do that.

via If Abbott and Kelly want to cross the floor, let them – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Uncategorized

Tony Abbott fires warning shot at Coalition over energy policy

How Abbott, how conservative the policy has to be ” a point of difference” rather than any national Interest that needs solving. This response is so typical of why Captain Nope Abbott lead us in a race to the bottom when he was PM.Back then he did it with fake news and fully assisted by Murdoch’s News Corp. He’s not interested in problem-solving for a Nation just himself and his side, which are in fact one and the same. He took us to a place we hadn’t ever been before. A Global political outlier, a joke and yes he wants us back there today. Craig Kelly has taken the words from Abbott’s mouth. (ODT)

Liberal MP Craig Kelly also spoke during the Tuesday debate to argue that energy policy had to remain a point of difference between the Coalition and Labor.

via Tony Abbott fires warning shot at Coalition over energy policy

Climate Change

Climate wars have cost us the chance to lead

NEG’s new framework may raise costs, industry groups say

The climate wars between the major political parties have cost us a host of lost business and employment opportunities, even a global leadership role, and yet we drift on without an energy policy that might provide some relief to rising power costs and some strategy to meet our commitments to reduce emissions.

The government’s most recent policy, the National Electricity Guarantee (NEG), is the fourth most effective response, only being proposed after an emissions trading scheme, an emissions intensity scheme and Finkel’s clean energy target were sequentially rejected.

via Climate wars have cost us the chance to lead

Public/Private

Whyalla steelworks to be powered by $700m solar, battery and pumped hydro project | Australia news | The Guardian

Project announced after British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta chairs his first Zen Energy board meeting in Adelaide

Source: Whyalla steelworks to be powered by $700m solar, battery and pumped hydro project | Australia news | The Guardian

Energy, Informed Comment

Letting Craig Kelly dictate energy policy is as stupid as letting Tony Abbott destroy the NBN – » The Australian Independent Media Network

The head of the misnamed Coalition backbench environment committee, Craig Kelly, has been all over the media with ever more strident calls to stop all subsidies to renewable energy. His argument, which has been adopted by that jellyfish Frydenberg, is that, if renewables are cheaper then they don’t need subsidies. On June 25, Mr Kelly…

Source: Letting Craig Kelly dictate energy policy is as stupid as letting Tony Abbott destroy the NBN – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Climate Change

Texas Wind turbines went right on Turning under Harvey’s impact, as Refineries Shut Down

Reuters quoted a market analyst as saying, “Imports can’t make up for this. . . This is going to be the worst thing the U.S. has seen in decades from an energy standpoint.”Not only is gasoline going to be more expensive as a result, but the pollution dangers from the damaged refineries are horrific.But guess what? Texas’s wind turbines weathered Harvey. Some were pushed to the max by its powerful winds, but they just went on making electricity! Turbines shut down if the wind is 55 mph or more, but most wind farms affected by Harvey were able to keep operating. One shut down because the electrical wires were knocked down, not because the turbines stopped working!. On an average day, Texas gets 20% of its electricity from wind. That only fell to 13% the day of Harvey’s landfall.

But guess what? Texas’s wind turbines weathered Harvey. Some were pushed to the max by its powerful winds, but they just went on making electricity! Turbines shut down if the wind is 55 mph or more, but most wind farms affected by Harvey were able to keep operating. One shut down because the electrical wires were knocked down, not because the turbines stopped working!. On an average day, Texas gets 20% of its electricity from wind. That only fell to 13% the day of Harvey’s landfall.

Source: Texas Wind turbines went right on Turning under Harvey’s impact, as Refineries Shut Down