It’s time that energy reality replaces renewable dreams

Paul Kelly correctly states that the energy crisis facing the nation is not the fault of the newly elected Albanese government (“Labor needs to change politics of energy”, 8/6). However, unless it ditches its climate policy requiring 82 per cent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, the energy crisis will deepen and the government will stand condemned for abandoning its duty of care to the national interest.

Now is not the time to be pandering to climate alarmism. The nation cannot function on renewables, which are notorious for walking off the job the moment the weather turns against them. For our vital industries and businesses to remain viable, for workers to keep their jobs, for households to be able to pay their power bills, a secure, reliable energy supply is crucial. This is where coal-fired power excels.

Yet our coal-fired power stations are failing because they have been driven to the brink by renewable energy policies, applied by all levels of government over the past 15 years, designed to destroy them.

During the federal election campaign, Anthony Albanese said he wanted to build a better ­future for Australia. If that’s the case, his government should immediately abolish its deleterious climate policy that will see coal ousted by renewables and the lights going out.

Dale Ellis, Innisfail, Qld

Small modular reactors (SMRs) need to be trialled in Australia and the community informed of their capabilities, financial cost, safeguards and waste handling.

Perhaps there could be a Coalition bill, or a private member’s bill, to alter the current prohibition on nuclear energy and allow for the trialling of such reactors. Table the legislation and call for a vote to see the whites of the eyes of those who vote for and against the legislation for a trial.

It will take strong leadership from the Coalition, or the private member, to get SMR technology trialled to help solve myriad issues confronting us.

These include reliable, affordable, emissions-free electricity to provide base load; desalination and pumping water inland to increase agricultural production; growing the regional areas of the nation to be attractive and to reverse the flow of young people to the cities, while encouraging older folk to sell city homes and migrate to the regions, thereby increasing housing supply in the cities for those who need to be physically city based. Now is the time.

Peter Sjoquist, Wahroonga, NSW

Just think, for months, and even up to a few weeks ago, the death of coal-fired power was deemed both imminent and inevitable.

Now there is a crisis meeting of energy ministers (8/6) to call for coal plants to be brought back online urgently. The coal plants will ease pressure on the electricity grid to help prevent power outages while also combating surging electricity prices.

The elephant in the room is a lack of coal-fired power stations. Clean energy virtue signalling is all about feeling good, but doesn’t deliver cheap and reliable base load power.

Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow, NSW

David Littleproud (“Nationals to push Labor for national energy summit”, 7/6) is right that nuclear power should be on the table but not that large-scale plants should be ruled out of consideration. Large-scale nuclear power plants are not “emerging technology” – Britain and the UAE are building them now. NSW and Victoria could do with one each – now.

Small modular reactors require much less upfront funding, are quicker to build and are the way of the future.

Don Higson, Paddington, NSW

Both sides of politics are to blame for the eastern gas and power problem – from failure to develop gas resources (Victoria and NSW), through excessive gas exports (Queensland), to shutting down working coal stations (South Australia and Victoria).

Add in the sale of the power stations in most states and even the sale of transmission lines, everyone is looking for profits not reliability.

The trouble is that politicians are pandering to the Greens and teal vote. We need modern coal generators for the short term (30 years) which will halve the emissions, and nuclear for the long term.

Renewables for any source of reliable power are a joke – it is time politicians stood up and said that.

Brian C Povey, Churchlands, WA