AEMO is warning of "reliability gaps” in our electricity supply. They mean 'blackouts", of course, but they think that we are stupid enough to think a reliability gap is better than a blackout. Some of us are that stupid, unfortunately.

In the dark by 2027. South Australia and Victoria are already crying for 'tenders' to provide "reliability reserves". With what?

Well, not wicked coal or gas; not more useless renewables that are the problem in the first place.

No. Voluntary shutdowns and "small" diesel generators.

Apart from the reliability gaps, loss of productivity and so on, everything will be just fine.

A future event may be diesel electric locomotives collared in goods yards for the more urgent task of power generation.

Good for the road transport industry.

Dan

And certainly no more bizarre than the stuff Blackout Bowen keeps coming up with. At least we know that diesel is reliable. Very handy, too, on King Island, which is claimed to 100% renewables - unless the wind and sun isn't available.

Well said AEMO

On 31 August this year AEMO Chief Executive Officer Daniel Westerman said "there is also the opportunity for consumers’ rooftop solar, batteries and electric vehicles to actively participate in the power system, which would further reduce reliability risks."

More than 2.7 million homes ... already have solar systems installed, supplying about 29% of the residential sector’s overall underlying consumption in 2022-23. By 2032-33, this is expected to increase to 4.8 million homes, meeting approximately half of the residential sector’s underlying consumption requirements.

“These forecasts highlight the high value of solutions in which resources owned by consumers, such as residential electricity generation and storage devices, and increased demand flexibility, can help meet power system needs,” AEMO said.

AEMO is actively seeking ways to meet future energy needs in a positive and creative way.

Contrast this with the "chicken littles" who post here barely reading past headlines before commenting.

WTF

I read all that was available in the item I consulted. We are not all obsessive-compulsives who need to read everything available - no matter how genuine it might or might not be. You are a stooge just repeating everything, right or wrong, that your idols want sad loners like you to repeat. Anonymous 'experts' with all the answers are generally losers who haven't made it in the real world.

WTF?

ttbn - it is you who started talking about AEMO and I am referencing them.

The reason I reference them is because I want anyone reading to realise that it is AEMO who is saying these things.

I quote them because while you can dispute my opinion you cannot dispute the facts presented by the very organisation you quote.

It is not an uncommon occurrence for someone commenting (or even writing an article) to reference a study or paper thinking that it supports their point of view only to find out the opposite is true.

The biggest reliability gap is between the ears of Blackout Bowen

shadowminister

I like that one.

WTF

You surely don't think that anyone is going to take notice of someone who puts his own moniker at the top of a post!

WTF?

ttbn says: "You surely don't think that anyone is going to take notice of someone who puts his own moniker at the top of a post!"

When it seems to be working in your case doesn't it?

Thanks for the feedback - I'll keep it up.

There is such a rumpus about power lines across farming land but the
suggestion of putting them underground gets poo pooded immediately.
It is said to be more expensive. It cannot be that more expensive as
just the manufacture and erection of the towers must be a significant
cost to say nothing of the loss of agricultural land.
Yet two cables can be run under Bass Strait without blinking an eye.
Then of course there was Ziggies power cable from Darwin to Singapore
now taken up by multi billionaire Brookes.
Cables run undersea everywhere. Of course a 1 Megavolt DC cable is
different but suitable protection cannot be that difficult, concrete
ducts protected by depth and concrete cover would soon be known to all
local councils etc.

Bezza, underground cables are 3 to 4 x as expensive otherwise underground would be done everywhere.

As underground power lines are laid less than a metre (600mm I believe) underground, they would be an even bigger impediment to farming. And as SM says, probitively expense. They do it with new housing estates, but only because the developer now has to pay for utilities, not the government.

The indisputable reality is that the transition to renewable energy will be very, very expensive for consumers and taxpayers.

And it will fail.

Hi)
To my opinion, warnings of "reliability gaps" in our electricity supply, which essentially means potential blackouts, are indeed cause for concern. It's crucial to have transparent and clear communication about the challenges our energy infrastructure faces. While some may perceive the term "reliability gaps" as an attempt to downplay the seriousness of the issue, it's important for the public to be well-informed about the potential consequences.

The discussion around energy sources and solutions is quite complex. As South Australia and Victoria seek "reliability reserves," the question of what resources to rely on becomes critical. The debate often revolves around fossil fuels versus renewables, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

In this context, I think it's essential for stakeholders to engage in a balanced and informed discussion. Evaluating the role of renewables, the potential of storage solutions, and the need for transitional technologies like small diesel generators should be part of the conversation. Striking a balance between sustainability and reliability is the key challenge for policymakers and energy providers.

On a related note, for those interested in addressing these energy challenges or exploring business opportunities in the energy sector, the article on EconoTimes about how students can start their own businesses (https://www.econotimes.com/How-student-can-start-its-own-business-1580218) offers valuable insights. It can serve as a helpful resource for those looking to make a positive impact in the energy industry or any other field, by starting their own ventures and contributing to innovative solutions.

I think wood gas is the way to go as the world population vastly dominated by Asia and Africa collapses upon itself and free's up world resources.

Asia's population R value as modelled by chaos theory and the population equation seems destined to frequency wave peaks doubling every few years and become chaotic at about R= 3 to 4.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistic_map

But nuclear is the energy storage with the highest energy density.

Here is a peek at Net Zero in the UK.
Legislation has passed into law that will penalise anyone who refuses to undetake changes to your home that the government requires.

https://tinyurl.com/yckhfswx

The UK government cannot afford to decommission the 176,000 miles of
gas pipelines that will be abandoned when the gas is turned off and
everyone is expected to install at a cost of Pounds 25,000 for heat
pumps. Don't know why they are so much more expensive than air conditioners.
Anyway, up to Pounds 15,000 fine or gaol for non compliance.
Don't laugh, what makes you thin the Labour/Greens won't pull the same stunt ?
If the pipes are not removed there is concern that as the pipes
deteriorate the roads will be damaged.

Kudos ttbn for "Blackout Bowen"