I don't what the renewables percentage was in 1975 after the big hydro projects but I suspect it was over 25%, not 19%. If where we are at now represents 'success' I'd hate to see what failure looks like. Most telling is the fact (needs checking) that electricity sector emissions were ~185 Mt in 2001 the start of the RET and they were 185 Mt in 2017. See the coloured bar chart here
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/29/australias-emissions-rise-again-in-2017-putting-paris-targets-in-doubt
So what was the point of the RET? A gesture?

Reasons for the non-decrease in emissions must include inefficient cycling of coal plant and preference for open cycle gas backup. The Wheatley study a few years back concluded that emissions displacement by renewables declined relative to penetration. My extrapolation of his figures suggest no emissions savings after about 50% penetration. The 100% renewables crowd won't hear of it and has the ear of several key politicians to keep the quotas and subsidies coming.

Norway, with its hydro, is used as the example of where (very nearly) 100% "renewables" is already working, so we should aim for 100% too!

Furthermore, "Labelling hydro as a renewable energy source is misleading. To the extent it's 'pumped hydro', and cheap off-peak base-load coal generators pump the water back uphill at night, it's actually coal power.". Darn right, Tasmania excluded.

Oh,and "storage", cheap and ubiquitous storage (!), will deliver 100% reliability after building renewables generation capacity by multiples to deliver our daily needs (including transport?) and recharge the storage.

Wow, who needs a base-load alternative towards mitigating AGW?!

Cogent well argued article.

Renewables win when they are very local and not subject to the combined 75% transmission and distribution losses.

Coal-fired power is cheap and reliable. but comes at a cost that includes a 75% transmission line and distribution losses.

That said is there a pragmatic way to use coal, while eliminating that 75% loss?

Well, yes there is. Heres how.

First, you need a very cheap source of energy to cook the coal and extract every joule of methane gas, which could be run through water and a carbon filter to remove Radon and a few other things.

Now methane gas operates inside pipelines as a reductant and acts to extend their lifetime perhaps beyound a century.

Instead of extremely vulnerable wires crisscrossing the country buried and sealed pipelines could do the same at less cost, where the gas was needed?

Industry and domestic gas cooking and on-demand hot water etc, with few if any comparable energy loss factors.

And as, instant heat. Modest ceramic fuel cells would provide 24/7 power for TV lights refrigeration, laundry and all the high tech gadgetry.

What's left once the gas is extracted, then becomes the carbon source of carbon black used in many production processes and manmade graphene? That source can vary from say solar thermal or nuclear.

Nuclear wins hands down on any CBA or CBR. On construction costs, initial outlay and overall lifetime maintenance and reliability 24/7.

Solar thermal wins only on fuel cost, but then if the unpressurised MS thorium reactors are not also tasked as waste burners, where other folks pay for the service in annual billions.

There are win-win chances and massive side profits here, but only if bipartisan pragmatism and cooperative capitalism replace the business as usual politicking or the privatised/corporatised price gouging! And par for the course obtuse obstinate obnoxious obsfucation.
Alan B.

Explanation.
That source should be read as, that heat source.
Alan B.

Just imagine if all the greenie idiots in Tasmania hadn't stopped the building of the Frankin dam.

Lets have a Dam on every river, just more denier BS, grow up you lot you lost the fight to save Coals arse yrs ago, I can believe how dumb some of you deniers are.
Or is it your silly enough to beieve all the crap from the US Koch Bros,Trump & the local liars called the IPA, I really do wonder sometimes
Including the entire staff on Air Jones Hadley & co whose listeners are in Gods waiting room,Sky after Dark which is when the nutters come out to play what a joke