Current Events > Australia has become an 'international laughing stock' over energy crisis

(+) Yeah! (+)

The system is under pressure,' he said. Liberal leader Peter Dutton also criticised the government, saying the crisis is 'completely untenable' and that businesses and families are facing huge pressure. He said Australians should not underestimate how 'precarious the energy market is right now' and warned Labor wants to move power generation to renewables 'too quickly'. NSW Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes called the crisis 'absolutely appalling', blaming Mr Bowen for power shortages across the country. 'This energy crisis has emerged since the Labor government took over and it's because, if you look at Chris Bowen he has levers in front of him though he doesn't seem to know which one to pull,' she told Sky News.

Weird how they managed to do this in less than a month when the Liberals were in charge for over a decade.

Notice how not putting effort into baseline power generation and only spending all your money and effort on renewables is having a huge whiplash effect on society.

The fact that they haven't been focusing on baseline power generation and betting all their eggs on intermittent renewables is what causes this problem.

Labor managed to do that in a single month?

Doubtful, nothing in politics moves that fast.

Notice how not putting effort into baseline power generation and only spending all your money and effort on renewables is having a huge whiplash effect on society.

The fact that they haven't been focusing on baseline power generation and betting all their eggs on intermittent renewables is what causes this problem.

Important context:

https://twitter.com/ketanj0/status/1536966787518054401?s=21&t=cdHquKnUj6QhbYTpRGjYJQ

fuck murdoch media

CEO Tania Constable's remarks accompanied the MCA's launch of Small Modular Reactors in the Australian Context, a discussion paper authored by Australian nuclear expert Ben Heard which provides an overview of SMRs, their potential role in Australia and likely operating costs. The 33-page document considers three of the "most advanced" SMR designs that are currently undergoing regulatory approval - NuScale's Power Module, GE-Hitachi's BWRX-300 and Terrestrial Energy's Integral Molten Salt Reactor - and their potential use in Australia. By 2030 and beyond, the levelised costs of electricity for those three SMR designs are estimated to be between AUD64 and AUD77 (USD46 and USD56) per MWh.

SMRs are an "ideal fit" for the Australian energy market, the report finds, citing their enhanced safety, lower cost than large-scale nuclear reactors or equivalent energy production methods, configurability, and lower waste production than current reactors. Furthermore, SMR modules have a similar capacity to many of the existing generator units that make up Australia's coal and gas-fired power plants so could easily replace ageing coal or gas-powered turbines without the need for additional grid investment, it says.

"Even with conservative assumptions that include higher than expected construction costs, SMRs could be Australia's lowest cost 24/7 zero emission power source that underpins reliable and secure electricity supplies," Constable said.

SMRs 'ideal fit' for Australian market, report finds
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/SMRs-ideal-fit-for-Australian-market-report-finds

"Despite this, outdated federal and state bans on nuclear power have seen Australia fall behind as the only G-20 country without access to nuclear energy or plans to develop it," she said. "Australia should take advantage of growing international interest in nuclear energy and look to expand its already significant uranium sector."

Notice how not putting effort into baseline power generation and only spending all your money and effort on renewables is having a huge whiplash effect on society.

The fact that they haven't been focusing on baseline power generation and betting all their eggs on intermittent renewables is what causes this problem.

Guess who was in charge of the Federal Government in October 2021

Or else, there's always the (literal) nuclear option, if people can just get over their irrational fears of it. >_>

Will the new government in charge change their views on Nuclear Power?

• Upgrade the electricity grid to fix energy transmission and drive down power prices.
• Make electric vehicles cheaper with an electric car discount and Australias first National Electric Vehicle Strategy.
• Adopt the Business Council of Australias recommendation for facilities already covered by the Governments Safeguard Mechanism that emissions be reduced gradually and predictably over time, to support international competitiveness and economic growth consistent with industrys own commitment to net zero by 2050.
• Protect the competitiveness of Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed industries by ensuring they will not face a greater constraint than their competitors.
• Allocate up to $3 billion from Labors National Reconstruction Fund to invest in green metals (steel, alumina and aluminium); clean energy component manufacturing; hydrogen electrolysers and fuel switching; agricultural methane reduction and waste reduction.
• Provide direct financial support for measures that improve energy efficiency within existing industries and develop new industries in Regional Australia through a new Powering the Regions Fund.
• Roll out 85 solar banks around Australia to ensure more households can benefit from rooftop solar.
• Install 400 community batteries across the country.
• Demonstrate Commonwealth leadership by reducing the Australian Public Services own emissions to net zero by 2030.
• Invest in 10,000 New Energy Apprentices and a New Energy Skills Program.
• Establish a real-world vehicle fuel testing program to inform consumer choice.
• Work with large businesses to provide greater transparency on their climate related risks and opportunities.
• Re-establish leadership by restoring the role of the Climate Change Authority, while keeping decision-making and accountability with Government and introducing new annual Parliamentary reporting by the Minister.

Mr Bowen says there are no easy fixes for the problem caused by a complex range of international and domestic issues and says nothing is off the table.
The limit to that, however, seems to be the Coalitions suggestion it is time Australia investigates nuclear power.
The war in Ukraine has led to a global gas shortage, prompting Australia to rely on its ageing coal-fired power stations at least 25 per cent of which are offline due to scheduled or unscheduled outages.
Labor says the crisis has been exacerbated by the former governments reluctance to roll out a faster transition to renewables.
Now, Nationals Leader David Littleproud has been vocal in leading for a push towards nuclear, saying it should at least be a conversation.
Mr Bowen says theres no credibility in the idea.
Nine years in office and then coming up with bright ideas on the other side of election, Mr Bowen said.
Nuclear is the most expensive form of energy. We have a cost of living crisis. Energy prices are going through the roof and thats the big, bright idea? Lets have the most expensive form of energy we can possibly think of?
Lets come up with the most expensive form of energy and put that in there because that will somehow make the power prices cheaper? They want that debate?
Bring it on. Its a complete joke.