GregLocock
Automotive
In keeping with the ever-soaring electricity costs, the Albanese government is committed to ever-soaring increases in renewable power generation.
To meet election promises, they “must boost renewable energy to 82 per cent of supply by 2030” (“Labor already feeling heat over its emissions-reduction strategy”, 23/5). It might look a big ask, but we can easily demonstrate how successful such changes will be, using South Australia as a full-scale, real economy field test.
The SA Department of Energy and Mining proudly reports that the state has “transformed its energy system from 1 per cent to over 60 per cent renewable energy”. The rest comes either from gas locally or coal interstate. So, at 60 per cent renewable, SA is approaching the federal target of 82 per cent. If we were to cut SA’s electrical extension cord to the eastern states, and thus shut out the evils of coal-fired generation, SA would become the practical demonstration of the renewable outcome sought by Albanese.
Some might argue that cutting the electricity interconnectors would be an extreme step, allowing no latitude for routine outages, and they would be correct: there needs to be some back-up electricity transfer possible. And there are times when SA is exporting power.
So we must somehow remove the coal-fired component from any power entering SA. It would, however, be simple enough just to provide electricity to SA proportionate to that being generated by renewables only, with the contamination of coal generation thus removed pro rata.
But what if, against all expectations, the field trial failed, and SA were again to be plunged into that almost-forgotten powerless darkness of the past? Well, it’s only mendicant South Australia, and another submarine or two to build one day should sort that out.
Tim Fatchen, Mt Barker, SA
The Australian, Letters to the editor, May 27 2022
We can actually test this thought provoking experiment using current data, although of course the experts will dismiss it because it is only modelling. It would be more fun to do in real life. So, I'll trawl through the electricity data for SA and find out how renewable the SA grid really is.
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376
To meet election promises, they “must boost renewable energy to 82 per cent of supply by 2030” (“Labor already feeling heat over its emissions-reduction strategy”, 23/5). It might look a big ask, but we can easily demonstrate how successful such changes will be, using South Australia as a full-scale, real economy field test.
The SA Department of Energy and Mining proudly reports that the state has “transformed its energy system from 1 per cent to over 60 per cent renewable energy”. The rest comes either from gas locally or coal interstate. So, at 60 per cent renewable, SA is approaching the federal target of 82 per cent. If we were to cut SA’s electrical extension cord to the eastern states, and thus shut out the evils of coal-fired generation, SA would become the practical demonstration of the renewable outcome sought by Albanese.
Some might argue that cutting the electricity interconnectors would be an extreme step, allowing no latitude for routine outages, and they would be correct: there needs to be some back-up electricity transfer possible. And there are times when SA is exporting power.
So we must somehow remove the coal-fired component from any power entering SA. It would, however, be simple enough just to provide electricity to SA proportionate to that being generated by renewables only, with the contamination of coal generation thus removed pro rata.
But what if, against all expectations, the field trial failed, and SA were again to be plunged into that almost-forgotten powerless darkness of the past? Well, it’s only mendicant South Australia, and another submarine or two to build one day should sort that out.
Tim Fatchen, Mt Barker, SA
The Australian, Letters to the editor, May 27 2022
We can actually test this thought provoking experiment using current data, although of course the experts will dismiss it because it is only modelling. It would be more fun to do in real life. So, I'll trawl through the electricity data for SA and find out how renewable the SA grid really is.
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376
