The transition to renewable energy. A thread from the @SatPaper by Mike Seccombe thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/…
Two-and-a-half years down the track, the lights are on in South Australia, and its power network is more reliable than those in New South Wales and Victoria, where old coal-fired generators regularly break down. Wind and solar routinely meet two-thirds of South Australia’s power
The bottom line, says Saddler, is that “there’s now a relatively large number of new solar & wind farms, particularly in Vic and to a lesser extent in Qld, South Australia &New South Wales, which are ready to go, but haven’t got authorisation to connect because of grid problems”.
AEMO has sought to address this by formulating what is called an integrated system plan. But the states and renewables advocates complain that Energy Minister Angus Taylor is delaying reform – seeking to cut deals with politically “friendly” states such as NSW,snubbing ALP in Vic
“The last time it met, last December, Don Harwin, the #Libs NSW Energy minister at the time, criticised the federal Coalition for dumping Turnbull’s planned national energy guarantee shortly after the rolling of Turnbull. Angus Taylor brought the gavel down on that discussion.”
Baxter says Taylor remains focused on propping up existing aged coal-fired generators. “There’s really no explanation for the government’s position except blind ideology and vested interests. It’s captured by the fossil fuel industry.”
Whether Morrison was simply ignorant or deliberately dishonest, he was spectacularly wrong.
“The reality is the big battery’s played an incredible role in supporting energy security, improving the reliability of the system and lowering prices,” says Kane Thornton.
“The reality is the big battery’s played an incredible role in supporting energy security, improving the reliability of the system and lowering prices,” says Kane Thornton.
“We’ve now got a whole range of other big batteries that are actually now in operation across Australia, and more being developed. South Australia is rapidly becoming the envy of other states because they’re getting through the other side of the transition.”
South Australia is well on track to meet its target of net 100 per cent renewable power by 2030. Australia’s most progressive jurisdiction, the Australian Capital Territory, with its Labor–Greens government, effectively gets all its power from renewable sources already.
Wind and solar routinely meet two-thirds of South Australia’s power needs and regularly generate more than 100 per cent, allowing the state to export power.
What’s more, it now has the cheapest wholesale electricity of any state in the National Electricity Market
What’s more, it now has the cheapest wholesale electricity of any state in the National Electricity Market
