.There is no climate crisis.
.There is no evidence that carbon dioxide causes climate change (see Ian Plimer).
.No need for 'renewables', which are unreliable, expensive and a blot on landscape, as well as being a killer of birds and animals and primary production.
.No need for nuclear, either, give the time frame.
.Coal and gas are still the only reliable, inexpensive options NOW, and in the foreseeable future.
.Even the idiot Albanese government is finding out that their harebrained wankery is not going to work - after being too stupid to learn from other countries more advanced than Australia.

Agree. We should choose the nuclear option instead of all that referred to. Alan B.

The most energy dense material on the planet is thorium. Just 8 grams of thorium enough to power your house and car for 100 years.

The former oxidation problem with thorium molten salt reactors has been solved with the complete removal of moisture and oxygen from the fluoride salt and the tritium is removed by using nitrate salt as the heat exchange medium. Nitrate salt absorbs the tritium, which in context is tiny.

New high heat resistant nickel alloys can be 3D printed allowing reactor builds with an extremely low-price tag and mass production on a hitherto unknown scale.

And the other favourable factor, is unlike light water reactors. They operate at ambient air pressure. In the event of a power failure, they automatically shut down.

Dispatchable, reliable, lowest cost and safest energy on the planet.
Alan B.

".No need for nuclear, either, give the time frame."

Had Australia pursued nuclear decades ago we would not be in this mess with renewables today.

Japan has resumed its use of nuclear power over a decade after Fukushima.

https://www.power-technology.com/news/tepco-kashiwazaki-kariwa-nuclear-plant/?cf-view

Meanwhile South Australia is generating 80% of its electricity from gas and importing over 10% of its electricity demand. Brilliant, especially when one considers the prosperity that South Australians have turned their backs on by choosing a renewables future over a nuclear one.

Fester,

Your reply ignores the advancements and benefits of renewable energy technologies, their cost competitiveness, and job creation. Transitioning to renewables is both feasible and essential for sustainability.

While variable, renewables have become much more reliable thanks to advancements in energy storage and grid management. Technologies like lithium-ion batteries and emerging solid-state batteries are significantly improving energy storage. For instance, the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia has enhanced grid stability and reduced costs. Also, smart grid technologies are making the grid more resilient and reliable by balancing supply and demand through the integration of various energy sources. Over the past decade, the cost of wind and solar energy has dropped dramatically, making them competitive with, or even cheaper than, fossil fuels in many areas. According to the IEA, solar power costs have fallen by 90% and wind power by 70% since 2010.

On the economic front, renewable energy sectors are major sources of employment. From 2019 to 2022, clean energy sectors added 4.7 million jobs globally, surpassing those in fossil fuels. Countries like Germany and China, which invest heavily in renewables, benefit from lower energy import costs and the creation of a sustainable energy market. It's also worth noting that while renewables receive subsidies, fossil fuels receive substantial government support as well ($5.9 trillion in 2020 globally).

Nuclear energy, although reliable and low-carbon, faces challenges such as high initial costs, long construction times, and waste management issues. Building nuclear plants requires significant upfront investment and time, as demonstrated by the Olkiluoto 3 reactor in Finland. Additionally, managing nuclear waste and ensuring plant safety add to the long-term costs and complexities of nuclear energy.

South Australia's energy strategy has made significant strides in integrating renewable energy, supported by battery storage and interconnectors, thereby reducing its reliance on gas and imports. The Hornsdale Power Reserve has shown how battery storage can enhance grid stability and reduce costs. Projects like the proposed SA-NSW interconnector aim to further improve energy security and reliability by linking renewable energy sources across regions.

ttbn,

The evidence that CO2 causes climate change is overwhelming and Plimer's claims have been discredited numerous times.

The Earth's climate is influenced by how it receives and emits energy. Our planet gets energy from the sun as visible light and ultraviolet rays, which warm its surface. The Earth then releases some of this energy back into space as infrared radiation, or heat. This energy exchange is crucial for maintaining the Earth's temperature.

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapor (H2O) trap some of this outgoing heat, which keeps the planet warm enough to support life. CO2 is especially effective at this because it can absorb infrared radiation. When CO2 absorbs heat, it vibrates and re-emits the energy in all directions, including back towards the Earth's surface, a process called radiative forcing, which keeps more energy in the atmosphere and leads to warming.

Radiative forcing measures the impact of greenhouse gases on the Earth's energy balance. CO2 has a significant effect. Climate sensitivity refers to the expected temperature increase from doubling CO2 levels, estimated to be between 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius.

Evidence supports CO2's role in climate change. CO2 levels have risen from about 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial era to over 400 ppm today, mainly due to fossil fuel burning. Satellite and surface measurements confirm that the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere are warming. Studies of carbon isotopes show that the extra CO2 comes largely from fossil fuels.

Historical data also highlight the link between CO2 levels and global temperatures over hundreds of thousands of years. Ice core samples show that CO2 levels and temperatures rose and fell together during glacial and interglacial periods. Modern climate models that include CO2 accurately predict observed temperature trends, unlike models excluding human-caused CO2. Future warming projections depend on CO2 emissions, with higher emissions leading to more significant warming and climate impacts.

To summarise, CO2 traps heat in the atmosphere, warming the Earth. This process is well-supported by scientific principles, extensive data, and historical climate patterns.