Replacing fossil fuels with renewables is an impossible task

Scott Morrison’s recent gift of $1 billion to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for hydro, battery, gas and grid investments shows that he is on the same path as the Greens and Anthony Albanese who support the demise of coal. Fossil fuel usage is stable or increasing around the world, and nothing can match oil, coal, gas and nuclear to provide the reliable baseload energy needs of a modern prosperous industrial economy.

To replace fossil fuel energy with renewables requires impossible scenarios — in the US, for example, it would require the construction of 14 million wind turbines each 150m tall covering an area 10 times the state of Texas.

Renewable energy is a pipedream inspired by the slavish adherence to a failed climate alarmist narrative, and Morrison’s actions are an insult to his electoral base that voted overwhelmingly to build reliable, baseload coal-fired power stations, and not to engage in wasteful green politics and continuing high energy prices.

G. M. Derrick, Sherwood, Qld

If Scott Morrison is receiving praise from Malcolm Turnbull and Anthony Albanese on gifting $1bn for clean energy that excludes nuclear and clean coal sources, then he is upsetting supporters who were prominent in helping him into government.

Brian Whybrow, Wanniassa, ACT

Most Australians know that renewable energy is the slippery slope to higher power prices and blackouts. By listening to the noisy minority, Scott Morrison is wasting another billon dollars of our money on making the renewable-industry titans rich on the public purse as they have done for over a decade now.

We need new coal-fired power stations if we want to maintain our standard of living. Renewable energy is a lovely dream but only a dream. Perhaps over the next 50 years solutions as yet unknown will make renewables viable, but we’re not there yet. Morrison should listen to those who put him in the Lodge. If he does not deliver, he will pay a heavy price at the next election. He could be a 10-year prime minister if he could read the will of the electorate.

Ross Dillon, Maleny, Qld

Stayer dismay

Those dismayed at the lack of Australian stayers in the Melbourne Cup should take note. Saturday will see 156 races run in Australia. Of these, 21 will be at distances of more than 1600m and a mere four will race at distances of more than 2000m. The surprise is not that we have so few homegrown entries in the Cup, the surprise is that we have any at all.

Scott Sturgess, Goomboorian, Qld

Brexit on edge

British voters have voted to leave the EU. The process has been frustrated by a Remain establishment intent on ignoring the democratic will.

The contrast between the two main parties could not be clearer. The message from the Tories is “get Brexit done”, one that will be framed in the context of a struggle between the people versus the parliament.

Labour’s policy on Brexit? Well, who knows. Its policy seems to be fluid, depending on who asks. Simple message, simple choice. December 12 is an opportunity to put the great back into Britain and regain sovereignty.

John McLeod, Sunshine Coast, Qld

Law of the land

It is not “a minority dictating that we cannot have the choice to end life at a time of our choosing” as Graham Pinn (Letters, 29/10) claims, it is the settled law of the land. The debate is not about imposing an unreasonable burden on people, it is about whether an act never before allowed by law should now be made legal.

It does not help to stand truth on its head in this matter. Being in a majority is no guarantee of being right.

Peter Davidson, Ashgrove, Qld