The Carbon Sense Coalition today accused Australian politicians of risking Australian jobs and industry on a quixotic scheme to generate 20% of 2020 electricity from sunbeams and sea breezes.
The Chairman of “Carbon Sense”, Mr Viv Forbes, said that even if this were possible, it could only be achieved by tripling power costs to industry and consumers.
“The proposed Renewable Energy Target Scheme would legislate that 20% of Australia’s electricity must come from “renewable” sources. They tell us this will reduce our production of carbon dioxide and thus reduce global warming.
“This is a foolish gamble.
“Firstly, there no evidence that man’s production of carbon dioxide controls climate. The pulsating sun, the churning cosmos, the restless oceans, the changing clouds and unpredictable volcanoes on land and under-sea are the climate controllers. Man’s effect on global climate is insignificant.
“Secondly, there is extensive evidence that a warmer world with more carbon dioxide plant food in the air would be a cleaner, greener and more abundant place for most people.
“Thirdly, the only non-carbon fuel that can reliably supply the legislated 20% of Australia’s grid power by 2020 is nuclear fuel. But that is currently prohibited, and there is not enough time for development.
“Man has been using wind and solar power for centuries. Their weaknesses are well known – they are very dilute energy sources needing large areas of land for collection, and they never supply continuous power. Every large solar/wind facility in the world has to be backed up 100% by a reliable power plant – coal, gas, nuclear, geothermal or hydro. Of these, only gas is immediately available and politically acceptable in Australia.
“Compulsory development of wind & solar energy will force the wasteful construction of backup gas-fired power plants. Soaring capital and operating costs will then force Australia’s electricity prices to at least treble by 2020.
“But, alas, burning gas also generates the dreaded CO2.
“Every producer and consumer should be free to use wind and solar power, but Canberra should not enforce such job-killing silliness onto every consumer and industry in the land.
“Abolish Renewable Energy Targets – Australia and its Climate will be better without them.”
“Carbon Sense” has responded to a call by Penny Wong for comments on the proposed increases in Renewable Energy Targets. Our submission can be found here:
For an authoritative estimate of future power costs under the revised RET Scheme, see:
Viv Forbes, Chairman, The Carbon Sense Coalition, has spent his life working in exploration, mining, farming, infrastructure, financial analysis and political commentary. He has worked for government departments, private companies and now works as a private contractor and farmer.
Viv has also been a guest writer for the Asian Wall Street Journal, Business Queensland and mining newspapers. He was awarded the “Australian Adam Smith Award for Services to the Free Society” in 1988, and has written widely on political, technical and economic subjects.
