Oh the joys of renewable energy as wind farms burn and power prices skyrocket
Adrian Beaumont, The Conversation, November 20:
This week’s Fairfax Ipsos poll … gave Labor just a 52-48 lead … the Coalition’s best result … since (Malcolm) Turnbull was ousted … 47% thought the government’s main priority on energy policy should be reducing household bills, 39% reducing carbon emissions and 13% reducing the risk of power blackouts. Labor will attempt to convince people that clean energy can be consistent with cheap energy.
Political editor Phillip Coorey, The Australian Financial Review, November 19:
Labor says it can lower power prices and emissions … Speaking ahead of the launch of Labor’s energy policy on Thursday, shadow climate change and energy minister Mark Butler said asking people to choose between price and emissions reduction was an “utterly false choice” … Labor is anticipating a power price scare campaign when it unveils its policy, which could require the power sector to reduce emissions by 45 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 to … meet its Paris climate change commitments.
If renewables are cheap why do South Australia and Denmark have the most expensive electricity in the world? Isabel Dayman, ABC News online, June 28 last year:
South Australia will overtake Denmark as having the world’s most expensive electricity when the country’s major energy retailers jack up their prices this Saturday.
Another problem with wind power. Andrea Falvo, The Cairns Post, November 13:
A wind turbine has gone up in flames at Ravenshoe’s Windy Hill …
Colin Smith, Imperial College London, July 7, 2014:
Fire is the second leading cause of accidents in wind turbines … according to research out today … (which) suggests that incidents of wind turbines catching fire are a big problem that is not … being fully reported … Dr Guillermo Rein, from … Imperial College London, says: “fires are a problem … impacting on energy production, economic output and emitting toxic fumes. This could cast a shadow over the industry’s green credentials.”
Looking forward to blackouts and bushfires? Stephanie Dalzell, ABC News online, November 16:
Victoria and South Australia are at a high risk of forced blackouts this summer (thanks to a shortage of power now that all those coal-fired power stations have been closed down) … according to the latest report by the Australian Energy Market Operator … To stop that from occurring, the AEMO has sourced emergency energy reserves … (which) do not come cheap … There is also a 70 per cent chance of El Nino occurring this year, which will … increase the risk of extreme peak demands on the network — which can lead to equipment failures.
Aunty mocks Donald Trump on forest fires. Liam Butterworth, ABC News online, November 20:
As California comes to terms with the deadliest wildfires in its history … Mr Trump said California authorities should copy Finland’s example and rake forest floors to remove the material which fuels fires. Except Finland does not have that strategy for managing its vast forest reserves.
Expert backs Trump. Avi Selk, The Washington Post, November 19:
“His (Trumps’s) general sentiment is correct — that we need to manage fuels,” said Yana Valachovic a forest adviser with the University of California’s Cooperative Extension program.