Thread by @OskaArcher

Part of what keeps me here, specifically on Australian #EnergyTwitter, is what we can learn when we dig into triumphant tweets like these. 🪡 1/

Incredible things *are* possible with solar 🌞

ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-…

We can appreciate that without abruptly adding all renewable sources together... 2/

In fact, DYK Australia made it back up & over our historical highest renewable energy share only a few years ago?

ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-… 3/

The solar+wind share has grown, in modern times, thanks to legislated SGCs & FITs for rooftop PV, and LGCs infradebt.com.au/post/why-aren-… & PPAs for big plants energetics.com.au/corporate-rene… supporting the added capacity from outside the spot market (in simple terms) 4/

What it looks like on our bills was neglected, and Mr Joshi makes an important correction
Interestingly, solar & winds' price influence appears so far limited even at higher shares aer.gov.au/wholesale-mark… 5/

But what's really missing is the impact on power sector emissions intensity.

This is common – 'renewables' are ubiquitously accepted as meaning entirely the same thing as decarbonisation.

It's more complicated, and this 👇 just doesn't cover it 6/

Australia is going in the right direction, and 2022 will be lower still ourworldindata.org/grapher/carbon… 7/

So how far do we have left to go? How do we compare so far?

This should prompt some reflection regarding 'low-carbon sources' right about now.

Because these 👇 aren't just random countries, they're the top 10 from statista.com/statistics/270… 8/

In 2018 AEMO wrote:
"There are extents of [variable renewable energy] penetration that have not been explored, and for which there is no experience globally."
aemc.gov.au/sites/default/…

Maybe 1 of the bazillion all-VRE studies will turn out correct & we won't need more options? 9/

Something to reflect on, for sure.

Hey who else was amused by where this link leads? minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/tayl… 10/end