How all this energy argy bargy plays out will be very interesting.
To me that there are two primary competing interests, adoption of renewables and rapid carbon reduction, and the two have priorities that are not necessarily aligned although they will claim otherwise to rally public support.
The economics presented for the competing carbon reduction technologies are largely fictitious, and the chance of achieving the stated goals are also largely fictitious.
- The cost of renewables, both the environmental and economic impact is vastly understated, the economics of gigawatt nuclear aren't straight forward either, in reality neither can survive without subsidy. Kids can't afford homes, soon they won't be able to recharge their phone or turn on the lights, even if they are LED.
- But should cost be the real issue, if the climate situation is as critical as claimed how can cost even be a genuine consideration? We are happily suspending billion$ for more roads, but next to nothing on energy security to deliver the recharging to the EVs we are supposed to be buying. It seems the cart is put before the horse!
- The ability to deliver renewables at the scale needed in the timeframe required to redress the critical climate situation is impossible, the claims to the contrary are fantasy and the capabilities to grow rapidly enough are massively overstated. We can't even get commitment to build local manufacturing capability, and without it there will only be fractional growth in the supply chain when two orders of magnitude is needed.
- The risk of nuclear is vastly overstated as is the risk of nuclear waste, it's stigma not reality but politics is weak.
- Coal's rate of carbon reduction / evolution is vastly overstated, the short term threat to coal from renewables is vastly overstated, coals biggest short term / immediate threat is nuclear. Big energy coal is not aligned with big energy nuclear, they are in competition.
All the competing systems are depending on stealth and misdirection to become the favoured option, we would be wise to remain cynical on all counts. Weak politics only makes the situation worse, empty threats and lack of commitment are bountiful.
To me that there are two primary competing interests, adoption of renewables and rapid carbon reduction, and the two have priorities that are not necessarily aligned although they will claim otherwise to rally public support.
The economics presented for the competing carbon reduction technologies are largely fictitious, and the chance of achieving the stated goals are also largely fictitious.
- The cost of renewables, both the environmental and economic impact is vastly understated, the economics of gigawatt nuclear aren't straight forward either, in reality neither can survive without subsidy. Kids can't afford homes, soon they won't be able to recharge their phone or turn on the lights, even if they are LED.
- But should cost be the real issue, if the climate situation is as critical as claimed how can cost even be a genuine consideration? We are happily suspending billion$ for more roads, but next to nothing on energy security to deliver the recharging to the EVs we are supposed to be buying. It seems the cart is put before the horse!
- The ability to deliver renewables at the scale needed in the timeframe required to redress the critical climate situation is impossible, the claims to the contrary are fantasy and the capabilities to grow rapidly enough are massively overstated. We can't even get commitment to build local manufacturing capability, and without it there will only be fractional growth in the supply chain when two orders of magnitude is needed.
- The risk of nuclear is vastly overstated as is the risk of nuclear waste, it's stigma not reality but politics is weak.
- Coal's rate of carbon reduction / evolution is vastly overstated, the short term threat to coal from renewables is vastly overstated, coals biggest short term / immediate threat is nuclear. Big energy coal is not aligned with big energy nuclear, they are in competition.
All the competing systems are depending on stealth and misdirection to become the favoured option, we would be wise to remain cynical on all counts. Weak politics only makes the situation worse, empty threats and lack of commitment are bountiful.
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"