Demos

If I lived in California I should be screaming for renewables also. With nearly 40 million people crammed in, California faces serious challenges. Yet have these more fortunate citizens ever had a say on a population policy? That is a question they dont get asked.

Boaz

I would rather the funding go to research than subsidising technologies which could rapidly become second rate. There are enormous quantities of organic material which are currently wasted. Utilising this waste is essential for our civilisation.

Like all good technological innovations (discovered by Australians) - solar energy will be sold overseas first - (to countries that have less sunshine than we do). And once its proven a success, then we'll pay to import it here. Why do you suppose there is a 'brain-drain' in this country ? Why don't we trust and respect our own?
Why the attitude - 'But, it's always been done that way...'

What are we frightened of? So what if we may fail? It's through our
attempts and perserverance - that just maybe something will actually get achieved. We should encourage innovation - not chop it down.

Fester.....

you are talking about 'research' I'm talking about an outcome which can be of immediate benefit. The Solar alternative is already proven, viable and lasts for decades. You can have your research grant NEXT year :) lets have 100,000 houses on renewable first.

I should have added that hot water should always come from Solar systems with an instantaneous gas booster. That saves gas as well.

I like the geothermal hot rocks idea.. and I think it is the closest of the innovative methods which could reduce the grid impact, but the treatment of waste is also imporant.

Still.. would it not create as many problems as it solves ? are you suggesting turbines powered by heat from methane or something ?

David

Solar hot water is the most cost effective short term goal for developed technologies. Otherwise, developing cellulose to biofuel technologies that are cost competitive with oil is a priority. Sewage treatment plants producing biofuel and clean water, and recycling nutrients would be a long term goal. Fast pyrolysis with agrichar production also seems to hold promise, as does csp desalinating seawater with the waste heat.

The ideal role of government is to give the technologies a kick start, then let them sort themselves out based on economic merit. Propping up second rate technologies can be damaging.