Bottom Line: Wind and Solar Are Cheaper

October 27, 2014 2018-05-09T11:01:53 by 2 Comments

The European Commission has published a thorough study regarding the different types of energy their cost. The result? The cheapest sources of energy come from solar and wind power.

While many argue that coal is cheap and government support for renewable energy is costly, fossil fuels have again been shown to cost more in the long term when taking into account health impacts, climate change, and resource depletion. While many state that those costs shouldn’t count since they are not within the realm of direct cost, it is hardly illogical to include them in the research for the overall cost, unless your vision only extends to the next election!

With that said, there are many variables at play both in the use of energy and variables in energy standards from country to country. For a more in-depth look, click here.

Filed Under: Quick Reads, Solar Policy Tagged With: ,

Why Labor Need To Hold Firm On The RET

October 24, 2014 2018-05-09T11:00:57 by Leave a Comment

The government’s starting RET offer which reduces the legislated, previously bipartisan, and pre-election commitment of 41,000 gigawatt hours per year of renewable energy down to 27,000 has been turned down by the Labor Party. Why? Not just because of the environment, but because of economics.

By cutting the target almost in half, billions of dollars invested in the creation of solar and wind power generating devices will go to waste, and billions of dollars of investment will not happen. The 100 job losses at a wind turbine component manufacturer in Portland, Vic announced yesterday is just the beginning.  Not to mention that power prices would continue to climb due to expensive fossil fuels picking up the slack.

Abbott and his cronies are trying to destroy a policy they promised not to touch.  Then when Labor won’t co-operate they blame the opposition for the uncertainty that is destroying businesses. Read more about this story here.

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar, Quick Reads, Solar Policy Tagged With: , ,

Experts Say Savage RET Cuts Will Line The Pockets Of Big Energy

October 24, 2014 2018-05-09T11:00:25 by Leave a Comment

Ian McFarlane and environmental minister Greg Hunt have proposed a huge reduction in the RET from the legislated (and previously bi-partisan) 41,000 gigawatt hours of renewable energy to 27,000 gigawatt hours by 2020. However, doing this will put billions of dollars worth of renewable energy investment at risk while boosting the profits of their mates in the fossil fuel business. For more information, click here.

They have taken a baseball bat to a policy that has been stable and bipartisan for 4 election cycles, and are blaming the opposition for the mess, because Labour refuse to join in the savage beating. It is very clear that the whole RET policy has been corrupted by the politics of fear and anger. Fear that renewable energy champions (in their eyes: all Greenie Hippies who are somehow “anti electricity”) might have been right all along and anger that anything might challenge the supremacy of the coal industry that has lined their biggest supporters’ pockets for so long.

(They have also promised that solar will be “untouched”. Which is rubbish. Although they are not proposing changes to the residential (small scale) solar scheme, they are still proposing a reduction from 100kW to 10kW in the maximum size of a commercial system that is eligible for rebates. This would really hurt the commercial solar market. Not to mention that meddling with the system could cause the price of STCs to plunge)

Filed Under: Quick Reads, Solar Policy Tagged With:

Is Greg Hunt running scared?

August 25, 2014 2017-10-25T10:00:49 by 7 Comments
whiteboard with angey face

Greg Hunt’s taxpayer funded whiteboard yesterday.

Ever noticed how shrill Environment Minister Greg Hunt is getting these days readers? The man once considered the smiling face of the Abbott’s administration’s policy of dismantling of renewable energy appears to have lost all control in recent weeks.

I refer of course to Gregory’s extraordinary attack on John Grimes, the head of the Australian Solar Council this week on the ABC’s Mornings program in Brisbane. The minister sank the boot into the respected chief executive of the Council saying he should be “ashamed” of hinself and accused him of duplicity. Which sounds quite funny coming from a politician.

So what disturbed the minister so much to resort to this type of debating technique? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: ,

Is Abbott about to axe the Solar Rebate (and push solar prices through the roof) ?

August 18, 2014 2014-12-21T21:36:36 by 84 Comments
tony abbott and renewables

What does Abbott have in store for solar?

Well, I woke up this morning to a beautiful spring day. Only to see an inbox full of emails telling me that, according to the Australian Financial Review, Tony Abbott has already decided to scrap the Renewable Energy Target (RET) no matter what his review panel advises.

Bummer!

Let’s see what the rest of the papers have to say on the matter. Well, the most recent article I can find, published at 9am, is telling me that the government maintains it has absolutely no intention of scrapping the RET.

Hmmmmm. [Read more…]

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Big Energy Has a Big Problem…But They Want YOU to Fix It

August 14, 2014 2023-06-22T14:23:03 by 4 Comments

Big energy has a big “problem”.  What’s the problem?

Competition. Competition from whom?  From Australian citizens like you who’ve told the big power companies, “We’ll  generate our own power, using solar technology. Thank you very much.  Shut the door on your way out.”

Why is this “big a problem”? Well, it’s simple economics that whenever a supplier generates way more “product” than the market demands, that product’s price drops through the floor.   And simple economics is biting Big Energy in the arse.

Like a pit bull terrier.

But it’s their fault.  They stuck their arse out to be bitten.  [Read more…]

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Public support for Australia as a renewable energy superpower

August 4, 2014 2017-10-25T10:01:40 by 2 Comments
solar panels in front of cooling towers

Which would you prefer for Australia?

It’s been mentioned more than a few times that Australia could be the next renewable energy superpower. With our wide open spaces, almost unlimited sun and centres of research excellence we could show the world the way in solar power and other forms of renewable energy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: ,

Carbon tax goes: now for the historical perspective

July 23, 2014 2017-10-25T10:02:13 by 3 Comments
axe over a power station

The Tax has been Axed.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you’ll have heard that Australia has achieved the dubious distinction of being the first country in history to repeal a carbon tax. With the unholy support of so-called independents, the repeal sailed through the Senate. This to the jubilation of the polluters, energy companies and fossil fuel companies, some of whom had decked out their compliant senators in high visibility vests for the big vote.

I tell you, you couldn’t make this stuff up! [Read more…]

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The renewable energy debate we had to have

July 14, 2014 2017-10-25T10:02:33 by 4 Comments
solar debate

Tony Abbott and Clive Palmer. Mass Debaters?

For me, the words that best summed up a remarkable week for renewable energy came from SolarQuotes Facebook reader Anthony Fogarty. A veteran of the solar industry, Anthony made the point that the current debate raging in the Australian Senate has seen clean energy being discussed in the mainstream like never before. The unexpected (if flaky) support for green energy by unlikely characters in the Palmer United Party and Ricky Muir — the motoring enthusiast turned senator — has seen the focus put squarely on our clean energy future. Are we now seeing the renewable energy debate we had to have? More importantly, where to from here? [Read more…]

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Australia’s future vs Abbott lies on renewable energy

July 7, 2014 2017-10-25T10:02:40 by 16 Comments
abbott

Spreading blatant mistruths.

There are three schools of thought to explain the Abbott lies on renewable energy. One is that our PM is under the influence of the fossil fuel energy companies and is happy to repeat their propaganda; two is that is he has been ill-advised by dodgy minders and three (to put it politely) he may have temporarily taken leave of his senses.

How else can you explain Mr Abbott’s statement this week that the Renewable Energy Target was responsible for energy price rises? The Prime Minister said the RET was making Australia “ the unaffordable energy capital of the world” and was somehow “…very significantly driving up power prices”.

What? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: , ,
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