If there are more workers employed producing 10% of electrical power than those producing 90% of the power, then plain common sense dictates that renewable energy is very inefficient and costly.

How much more do you want to pay for your electricity? For God's sake, build some damned nuclear reactors and a nuclear reprocessing plant which would give much cheaper power than "renewables" and a manufactured good in the form of processed fuel rods that the world wants and needs.

Australia has the most geologically stable rock formations in the world where any nuclear waste can be stored indefinitely. If the abos complain, take their dole off them until they realise that there is a connection between money and earning it.

Rhosty,

You were discussing "Sustainable" energy and then brought in Thorium after I had pointed out that renewable energy was always more expensive than conventional generation. I personally am a big supporter of nuclear energy, but until the greens grow a brain, there is no chance in Aus.

As for home biogas, I think you will find that the cost of buying, installing, running and maintaining your system will take many years to pay back if ever.

LEGO, well said.

One thing we have in our country that most don't, is wasted space, and plenty of it.

We, unlike just about any other nation, can put nuclear plants in the middle of bum F%^# nowhere plus, we have the fuel which we currently export, which could be retained for our own use for who knows how long.

Just imagin what shape we would be in if ONE, our energy supplies were guaranteed for many many decades, and TWO, at very cheap prices.

We need pro active governments who don't give a toss about the polls, but are focussed on fixing our long term energy problems, problems that if not fixed will cripple our nation, if the past ten years of price hikes are any indiction.

Lisa, exactly where are these 30,000 jobs? Are these the cowboys installing Chinese made solar panels and inverters which explode when the sun shines, or burn out when we get a spot of rain? We do not make solar panels in Australia, good thing too given the toxic waste manufactured during production!

Quote Shadow
“Stop kidding yourself, renewables are far more expensive than normal generation. Why do you think our electricity bills are soaring?”

I know why electricity bills are soaring and it has nothing to do with renewable energy. The distributors spent 45 Billion dollars upgrading the poles and wires which for the most part, was unnecessary as power consumption is actually falling in Australia.

Of the 75% increase in power prices over the last 7 years or so at least 65% was caused by gold plating the distribution network 8% was caused by the carbon tax which is now gone and less than 2% was caused by costs associated with renewable energy.

http://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/804-shock-to-the-system.pdf

See page 12 fig 2.3

I wouldn't expect you to understand warmair, most of the costs of alternative generation subsidies are hidden in our power bills.

Yes some of the extra cost has been due to work on the distribution network. Firstly here in Queensland that conman Beattie was ripping a quarter of a billion dollars a year out of the electricity system for years to cover some of his disastrous financial management. This left them with nothing to use for maintenance of the network.

Then of course there has been considerable upgrading to meet the excess load of handling the surging nature of wind power.