ttbn, I don't care what you call me, so long as you don't call me late for dinner !

Hi Bazz,

We may not agree on the validity of human induced climate change, but one thing is certain, Australia is committed to transitioning away from fossil fuel energy production and towards green new energy. We could argue until the cows come home about the validity of such a move. The reality is there has to be concrete plans in place for the implementation of such an energy program. Aidan is right in saying; "The private sector will organise it all, (well maybe not) and will probably do so more efficiently (probably)", however government does have a vital roll to play as well, as a facilitator, if not with direct involvement, and with policy offer the private sector inducement and direction. If there are areas that the private sector is unwilling or incapable of instigating then its up to government to step in and take over. Action is needed now, not tomorrow or next week, now!

Bazz,
The stupidity is yours, not Bowen's. The reason you think the task is a thousand times bigger than its actual size is that you multiplied by 0.5 instead of multiplying by five hundred.

But calculation errors are not your only problem. All those solar panels aren't just one big project; there are lots of little projects. Solar panels are going up on rooftops as well as just big solar farms. Not all the new solar farms will be in remote locations, and some will be shipped part of the way by rail.

'Tis still a big task in absolute terms, but not a huge portion of the size of the Australian economy. We'll need more truckies and fewer coal miners; swings and roundabouts! What with more automation and more investment in rail, there's unlikely to be a severe shortage of truck drivers. But if there is it's not a catastrophe; we can always recruit more from India.

I didn't call you anything, Bazz; the spell check just insisted on Buzz, but Bazz seems to be OK as long as it's not the first word.

As I said, I agree with you. But, after all the crap you got from the usual idiots, I have to say that there will be no change for the next three years, with politicians too dumb to learn from the lessons of European stupidity on unreliables, and with no effective opposition, we are stuck with things they way they are. As soon as any government pokes its nose into commercial matters best left to the private sector, chaos can be expected.

There's a good rule that I keep breaking myself: ask yourself if there's anything you can do about something bugging you; if there is, do it; if there is not, forget it. It's natural to have opinions and express them, even when you are powerless to make changes, as most of us are. But, there is no point in arguing with people who disagree with you. They are entitled to their opinions, and you are entitled to ignore them.

Aiden, where did I multiply by 0.5 ? I thought I worked on 300 watts per panel.
Are you suggesting that I multiplied by 0.3 and that is wrong.
The info I have been able to ascertain is that each panel is 300 watts.
My calculation was 22,000x365x8x300= 64.24 million panels.
64.24x300=19272 Mwatts !

AHHHH YES I did get it wrong, it is 19 Gwatt.
Well yes that is more like it. Thanks Aiden.

Trouble is I just can't see it being built in 8 years.
And that is where the problem lies.
If we shut down power stations where will we get electricity ?

Paul, well the oil companies have said it, they will exit the oil industry
over the next indeterminate years. The fracking is already dying and
the current major fields will probably be the last as they squeeze the
last out of them.
For coal, I wouldn't know how long they would last at a higher rate
although some talk of hundreds of years.
None of us will be here when that happens.