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

Federal & State Labor have NO CONTROL over future Australia .. it's open slather by the radical groups.

Labor has NO CONTROL over important matters that concern our financial well being. Our northern borders are wide open to anyone that turns up in a leaky boat wanting a free taxi service to our shores, at enormous cost to us for transport, processing and accommodation.

Similarly, with regard to energy and electricity, there is open slather by renewable energy companies wanting and getting subsidies to produce very expensive electricity using solar and wind energy. None of these renewable energy sources can operate without the backup of existing coal & gas fired power stations, due to their intermittent operating nature. They are a great waste of money when we have the coal resources to produce cheap electricity for hundreds of years.

Wind farm companies should be told to get lost and not given licenses to operate, or shut off any subsidies to them.

The source of all the trouble is the Renewable Energy Target (RET)legislation which specifies that 20% of electricity by 2020 must come from renewables like wind farms and solar. This has resulted in a large development of wind farms producing a costly dribble of electricity at random times not to be relied upon for peak demand. South Australia alone has 28 wind farms despoiling our countryside and creating a fire hazard in drought times. State Governments must stop the subsidized development of wind farms and solar, and concentrate on further development of coal and gas resources for electricity supply.

RET bill must be revoked, or neutralized by changing the target date from 2020 to 2200. Similarly, to be scrapped, would be all legislation based on the demonization of the element carbon for reason that carbon dioxide represents atmospheric pollution, which is a nonsense promoted by the eco-religous Labor/Green warmist brigade.