Australia, and the planet, has nuclear energy.
Solar IS nuclear.

It is amazing that some people will prostitute themselves to produce such garbage.

100% renewables means regular blackouts and loss of industry, loss of jobs, and an even steeper downward plunge for the West. Plus the continuance of the things the naifs think are caused by CO2 - bushfires, drought and floods. Setting up nuclear will take too long, so the only possible answer is a return to the fossil fuels than nature endowed us with.

Hi Ttbn,

"Setting up nuclear will take too long, so the only possible answer is a return to the fossil fuels than nature endowed us with."

Sooner or later, we'll have to turn to nuclear power generation. And yes, in the meantime, rely on fossil fuels.

I imagine that nuclear power generation has advanced a long way since Chernobyl was built (and shut down). Hopefully, we've learnt lessons about building nuclear power plants too close to the coast in a tsunami-prone area, and away from tectonic fault lines, like Fukushima.

And we don't have to build dirty big power stations. If submarines can be powered by nuclear energy, then why not a multitude of small power stations ? One near each town, and dozens around cities ? If they're safe in submarines, why not small power stations a reasonable distance from each town ?

Yes, it may take some time, but time passes one way or the other, so why not at least contemplate a huge network of nuclear power stations ? And use fossil fuels in the meantime ?

And, of course, use renewable energy sources, bearing in mind that wind towers and solar panels currently need to use fossil fuels in their manufacture ? They don't last forever either, so how much CO2 do they save during their productive lives relative to that produced in their construction ? Any at all ?

Of course, once renewable energy producers, towers and panels, can be constructed using renewable energy that is cheaper than fossil fuels or nuclear power, then of course use and build up renewable energy production. But in the meantime .....

Joe

There will never be enough energy storage. For a barely adequate 1% or 3.65 days of Australia's annual 262 Twh electricity consumption we'd need 2.62 Twh. At an optimistic figure of $200 per kwh capex that would cost over $500 bn.

Some dissenting opinions on the just released Nuclear Prerequisites report said cheap fast build reactors were a pipe dream. In the next breath they listed countries that would go 100% renewable by 2030. Who is dreaming? Germany for example cannot close its remaining nuclear reactors by 2022 as promised without the lights going out. Eastern Australia will almost certainly need to import gas when Liddell and Yallourn close. Neither cheap nor low carbon.

We'll need even more electricity for EVs, desalination and gas replacement. Perhaps we'll have to learn this lesson the hard way.

I suppose one day we will wake up to real threats in the world such as the rise of communist China, Islamic terrorism, massive drug use and suicide. Meanwhile as we dumb our kids down and scare them with pseudo science we waste billions and force people to pay higher power prices while being arrogant and stupid enough to think we can control the weather.