“Sanity” and “rationalism” are beyond the ken of the political class. That's why it's a waste of time writing erudite and truth-filled essays. Only good old fashioned nous, exercised by the common folk when they vote will work.

But even then: only if they vote for candidates other than Coalition/Labor/Green cabal - in the Senate at least.

A well written and researched and good essay.
Renewables are excellent and can certainly play a part but are not a total practical proposition with the current Global (over) population of 8 billion and growing.
We are all consumers and always will be. Some more than others. As the author infers, the problem is a global problem, and can only be addressed by the world`s total population acting cooperatively.
I suspect we have Buckley`s chance of that.
Hanrahan was indeed correct.

Energy storage is a murky area both as to the operating costs and amounts required. I find it hard to envisage an aluminium smelter running off batteries on a windless night. For that matter I think nuclear SMR electricity will also be too expensive, say $100 per MWh as opposed to say $170 for a 2 hour battery before it runs flat. State governments will have to get out the generous subsidy chequebook. Alternatively we can just send the alumina and thermal coal to China and buy back our own aluminium for top dollar. Any pesky carbon emissions won't be on our books.

Note that NSW has nearly completed an LNG import terminal at Pt Kembla, to be followed by Geelong Vic and Outer Harbour SA. Even fossil fuels can run out. Nukes probably can't be built in time to save us.

Sure, Charles, anyone in Year 9 can see that population, consumption, GDP and emissions, all rise together, and that net zero emissions is complete bollocks. But that would be to miss the point.

Coal and gas power can only make stuff and do stuff, with little regard for social rank, and none at all for DEI principles.

Whereas renewable power can dispense bliss bombs of rainbow endorphins to the upper classes, reassuring them of their innate superiority.

Steve S,

that's very cynical of you... true but cynical.

As to Australia's Net Zero fantasies.... latest calculations show that China is now producing more Co2e emissions than the US, Europe and India combined. What is more, they've produced more Co2e than Europe has since the start of the Industrial Revolution.

And China is building more coal mines and coal burning plants each year with no end in sight. So all of Australia's efforts are utterly futile. Indeed the efforts of the rest of the planet are utterly futile even if you buy the enhanced Greenhouse Effect story.