Renewables folly threatens to leave us facing harsh winter

Harry Triguboff is yet another prominent identity insisting that the government take control of the electricity sector and put more focus on coal and gas (“ALP ‘up to decade late’”, 7/2).

The government seems to be unable to grasp the urgency of our energy crisis. As Triguboff argues, it is way behind with its renewables fantasy. Its preference to turn to coal power only when the sun doesn’t shine and wind doesn’t blow has forced coal power operators to lower their maintenance through lack of revenue, which has only raised the crisis. Then we have Labor and Greens reluctance to push on with gas drilling.

It is essential that some effort be made to encourage coal power operators to raise their maintenance, and lift gas mining red tape. Without these two essential reliable energy sources, we the consumers are in for a hard winter, and this government for a hard election.

Kevin Begaud, Dee Why, NSW

The observations of Meg O’Neill, the chief executive of Woodside, one of the nation’s largest and most successful energy companies, about Victoria’s gas supplies are alarming (“Too late to avoid a winter gas shortfall, says Woodside chief”, 7/2).

As if Victorians don’t have enough to worry about, with a tanking economy. Now we’re being told that it could be a cold winter. The folly of the ideological, federally inspired ban on gas exploration and restrictions on domestic gas applications in Victoria now is being called out.

A sad thing about the state of play in Victoria is that it will be a generational problem, not one solved in one or two terms of a new government. It’s the schoolchildren of today and their children who will be paying the price of successive governments’ decisions on energy and infrastructure as they will be the victims who will end up paying the price through increasing taxes. Victorians should be turning up the heat on the government, if they can.

Tim Sauer, Brighton East, Vic

The travesty of the gas shortfall in Australia is not on account of green policies but bad contractual management by the government. The producers are able to prioritise exports without any consideration for domestic demand.

The contracts should have ensured that Woodside and other producers supply domestic demand. Currently we have the crazy situation where export contracts are satisfied and then we import the gas back. That makes no sense and changing the contracts is where the governments should be spending their efforts, not trying to approve new gas fields.

John Chapman, Nedlands, WA

If anything is putting lives at risk, it’s the Greens’ policy (“Renewable energy opponents are putting lives at risk, says Bandt”, 6/2).

Greens leader Adam Bandt is encouraging panic and totally unrealistic expectations about the minuscule impact that Australia can possibly have on global emissions. Does he really think that decking the country with windmills and transmission lines will prevent future fires and floods?

Edwina Menzies, Hackett, ACT

The claim that renewables will improve health contradicts the last 200 years. It has been the growth of reliable, inexpensive energy that has brought people out of poverty and improved health outcomes.

An increase in renewables increases energy prices and reduces reliability. Coal and gas represent stored energy sources; wind and solar are transitory. Gas, coal and nuclear represent a stable, healthy future. Other options for now are illusory.

James Hein, Hackney, SA

Are we not seeking to achieve the trifecta of cost-effective, reliable and sustainable energy? (“Energy takeover only half answer”, Editorial, 7/2).

If so, scientific and economic consensus suggests that the cheapest form of electricity is derived from solar and wind power. These also happen to be sustainable forms of energy. And, as South Australia is demonstrating, they can reliably power the grid as part of an integrated system, especially when coupled with appropriate storage such as big batteries.

By embracing the shift to renewables, we can secure energy independence, drive economic growth, create jobs and ensure that our energy future remains both competitive and resilient in a rapidly changing world.

Amy Hiller, Kew, Vic