Electricity from COAL is cheapest and best for Australia

The Energy Supply Association of Australia needs to submit their findings through a BF (bullshit filter) and you would find NOTHING coming out the other side. Why don't they admit to the public having to paid costly electricity bills, at 31 cents kWh, that they got it wrong and so too have the pollies, including John Howard, by promoting the Renewable Energy Target Scheme.

The RET legislation, that requires by 2020 our electricity be 20% supplied from renewable sources, is crazy. In Australia, hydroelectric schemes are barely possible (because of the Greens), solar and wind power are excessively expensive and should NOT be subsidized by the State Governments, if we want cheaper power. Promotion of useless wind farms must be STOPPED. If we must have a Power Target let it be 15 cents per kWh by 2020, then we WOULD have a flight of the warmists rabbits from positions of influence.

We don't need to subsidize or promote renewable energy just now when we have plentiful supplies of coal and gas to fuel power stations for the national grid. Maybe by the year 2100 renewable energy may start to be attractive in Australia, but until then let's make the most of our competitive advantage in world trade by having cheap coal-based electricity. CO2 is NOT a pollutant and CO2 emissions should be cherished by mankind and the biosphere. No more pollie bullshit allowed from 2014 onwards. Merry Xmas from Allano

Green electricity is TOO COSTLY for Africa (and Australia)

In today's "The Australian" newspaper there is an interesting article by environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg about the huge extra cost of providing electricity from wind farms and solar plants, compared to conventional power stations using coal. In South Africa coal powers 90% of electricity at a cost to the consumer of US 9 cents per kWh. It is easy and cheap to cut coal (particulate) pollution by 90% or more with scrubbers. CO2 emissions are considered to be beneficial to humanity and the biosphere.

However, in some other African countries, using a mix of hydro, gas and oil, in the grid/population centers in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya the cost will likely be 25 cents per kWh. Lomborg concludes that for the forseeable future, electricity will be generated by burning fossil fuels.

Hydroelectric power stations are by far the best source of renewable energy and for some lucky mountainous countries hydro is the main power source eg New Zealand, Norway etc. However, South Australia where I live has no hydroelectric power stations, and has been UNfortunate to experience a decade of Labor Governments hell bent on making the State the leader of renewable energy in Australia. True, we have the most wind farms of any state (26 or more) and also the highest domestic cost of electricity at 31 cents per kWh because of this stupid eco-religious goal. The state elections are due in 3 month's time (March). Let's toss out this inept Labor Government of Premier Jay Weatherill and replace it with a Liberal Government that will STOP the wind farms and aid in development of our coal, gas and uranium resources for domestic power production. Merry Xmas from Allano

What must be done to establish a prosperous future for Australia

The new Coalition Government of PM Tony Abbott must repeal the Carbon Tax legislation ASAP and then ALL related taxes, regulations and charges involving carbon dioxide which is falsely listed as an atmospheric pollutant. The details of how to do this are set out by Viv Forbes on the Climate Sceptics Blog Hopefully, this coming week of the first sitting of the new Parliament we will see progress being made. It would be nice to see Bill Shorten, Leader of the Opposition, take a bipartisan stand and say the Carbon Tax must go. We'll see what happens. Cheers Allano