Letter to the Editor: A delusion of the energy-illiterates

DEAR News Of The Area,

THE likely demise of the Tomago Aluminium facility without government subsidy is due to rising electricity costs with the increasing proportion of renewables (actually weather-dependent intermittents) in the electricity grid.

The mantra: ‘renewables are the cheapest form of energy’ is a delusion of the energy-illiterates.

Sunbeams and breezes are there and free for the taking but the intermittent electricity derived from them is not.

Expensive equipment and facilities are required to collect the diffuse energy over vast distances leading to land use conflicts and enormous transmission costs.

Then more facilities are required to transform the derived electricity into a form acceptable to our devices and machines and then transmit it to points of consumption.

Real world experience, such as in Germany and Spain, where electricity price hikes follow installation of renewables, is more credible than the models produced by government-dependent employees.

The Tomago situation is an example of the ongoing deindustrialisation across Australia caused by electricity prices being elevated by the addition of renewables (weather-dependent intermittents) to the grid.

Our present energy policy together with our leading position as an exporter of coal means that we are actively contributing to CO2 emissions while at the same time aiming for net zero by 2050, very hypocritical and futile.

Even if net zero in 2050 happens, which is most unlikely, it would have a miniscule effect on any climate change, consequently our present energy policy is all pain and no gain.

Our present energy policy is arguably the worst policy ever devised by an Australian government.

Providing reliable and affordable energy while at the same reducing emissions are competing interests.

As there are no immaculate solutions to this conflicting interest at this time, some compromises need to be made. According to the International Energy Agency fossil fuels still account for more than 85 percent of world energy consumption and this is corroborated by CO2 readings from Mauna Loa, which are increasing faster than ever.

The green energy transition is not happening any time soon.

That the green energy transition is inevitable and will make electricity more affordable for everyone is one of the most dangerous delusions of the rich world’s energy-illiterate elites.

Regards,
Charles HEMMINGS.