Coal will fail us
The letters of David Williams and Gary Evans (August 7) caught my eye. While David can quote a lot of statistics as to the sources of electricity I am afraid his subsequent analysis does not pass scrutiny. He states: “Reliable, affordable energy is essential for modern Australians to maintain living standards and for business to prosper.”
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While I totally agree with the comment I don't see the current coal powered power as affordable, so I am not sure how having more of it will help. Regarding reliability, I haven’t seen any loss of power due to renewables failing.
I did however observe in SA that the transmission lines blew over in a storm and could not distribute electricity at all (coal fired and wind). David states: “Modern High Energy Low Emission (HELE) coal-fired power stations are currently the best means of producing electrical power where demand can be increased quickly.” I question that; I would have thought large battery storage or even hydro would be better.
They can both be turned on instantly and have the benefit of not creating carbon emissions that add to global warming. With regard to Gary Evans comments I immediately suspect his logic when he ties the Greens to being left wing. I am sure many members of the community are concerned about the environment without being left wing.
I don’t see asking for a bit of regulation or protection for the planet as a left-wing argument. Australia has always been a mixed economy where the market predominates but regulations are in place where the market fails.
I am not sure if, as he states, it is clear that Greg Bourne has too much money and doesn’t care about huge price rises in electricity, but I am sure he is worried about the amount of money we spend cleaning up after floods and fires and supporting farmers and others in times of drought.
As to subsidies propping up renewables, they have enabled a number of companies to get established and seen the price of both wind and solar drop dramatically. I can’t say the same for billions in subsides given to the coal and gas industries. Sure, “businesses invest to make money” and we have to pay. Shame we don’t pay our own government-owned electricity companies anymore. We could use the profits to run hospitals and schools.
Finally, it is sad that Gary only wants to save his money. Sadder still, is the fact that he reckons Australia need not bother making a contribution to fighting global warming. Does he not realize we are one of over 30 countries who have around 1- 1.5 per cent of the world’s population. If all 30 countries did nothing that means 30 per cent of the world would be still contributing greatly to global warming.
Greg Oates, Huon Creek
You’re either he or she
The looney left politically correct are at it again, them and they instead of he and she. Ask yourself this: did you elect them? No. Did you ask them? No. Did they ask your opinion? No.
Well how did they come into it? Because our gutless politicians allowed it to get the looney left vote.
I still say he and she, man and women and black and white, so as far as these loonies are concerned go back to whichever lunatic asylum you escaped from.