ABC talking heads stop making sense
Insiders is back after a 300-year break and, of course, climate change is top of the agenda.
Guardian Australia editorLenore Taylor has something to say about climate change ... again ... Insiders, yesterday:
The main reason we are in this situation is that the coalition has stood in the way of sensible climate and energy policy for a decade.
Sensible? How’s South Australia’s “sensible” energy policy going? The Sunday Mail (SA), yesterday:
About 100,000 customers were blacked out because of the reliance on unreliable wind and solar power in our network — more than a third of South Australia’s generation capacity.
Many wish Turnbull had “stood in the way” in SA but not Lenore Taylor. The Guardian Australia, October 1, 2016:
The lights go out in SA and Turnbull flicks the switch to peak stupid.
If only SA Labor had been sensible. “Beyond Wind: Furthering development of clean energy in South Australia” Royal Society of South Australia, June 2015:
... although the expansion of the wind-generation sector in South Australia has delivered meaningful reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions in just over 10 years, the limitations of strongly correlated and variable electricity supply that is decoupled from electricity demand place upper limits on the plausible future contribution from wind.
WA Labor is running away from their sensible sister party in SA. The Australian, Thursday:
A rattled West Australian Labor opposition yesterday backed away from announcing a renewable energy target during the state election campaign, as the Barnett government seized on a recording of the party’s energy spokesman advocating for a target of 50 per cent by 2030.
And running away from Bill Shorten. Canberra, August 13, 2015:
That’s why the Labor Party that I lead said at our National Conference that we have a goal that 50 per cent of our energy mix that Australians use will be derived from renewable energy by 2030.
The press gallery is as greenie as ever, God bless ’em. Insiders, yesterday:
Barrie Cassidy: To what extent was the blackout in South Australia due to renewable energy?
Laura Tingle: Well, none.
Cassidy: At all?
Tingle: Well ...
Lenore’s energy solution? Give me a T, give me an A, give me an X. Insiders, continued:
A month ago there was the prospect of the government’s review considering an emissions intensity scheme which would have minimal effect on prices, linked to fewer price increases, and send the investment signal to people who want to invest in generation and the government ruled it out within 24 hours.
Even climate activists know carbon markets haven’t worked. The Guardian. April 12, 2013:
... there have been few, if any, measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that can be attributed to these measures (carbon markets in Europe).
Want sensible? Here’s Industry Minister Arthur Sinodinos. Insiders, yesterday:
I underestimated the extent of the cost of the transition to greater reliance on renewables … This is not an attack on renewables or coal, this is about getting the best energy mix at an affordable price which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.