Steele, I have seen the denial of responsibility if a projection does
not come up to expectations, the IPCC is possibly one that comes to mind.
No one will go as far as getting quotes for a power station.
They probably can get information from government contracts for
overseas power stations.

>A very big grain of salt required here me thinks.<

Yes indeed, the whole energy thing is drowning in uncertainty.
Uncertainty 1:
Will solar and wind supply the country with electricity ?
Uncertainty 2:
Can Batteries provide backup to solar & wind.
Uncertainty 3:
Can the battery continue supply into the next day if overcast/still ?
Uncertainty 4:
Can a battery of the size needed be recharged or is the grid needed ?
Uncertainty 5:
Can the battery be afforded ?
Uncertainty 6:
Would other areas have enough spare capacity from its solar/wind ?

Wheew, I think that is enough and I suspect no one has really looked
into these uncertainties.
How long can we play around like this before we start on coal fired
stations or nuclear plants.

God the green bull sh#t is deep these days.

The cost of gas is very high because the green ratbags have prevailed on the governments of NSW Victoria & South Australia to ban drilling for coal seam gas, & SA & VIC have banned any gas development.

It is ridiculous to complain that gas from other states is being exported, when these governments where it is needed refuse to harvest their own gas.

If the public ever wake up to just how much green ratbaggery is costing them, it will become quite dangerous to admit to being one.

Hasbeen,

Actually the cost of gas is very high because international demand for it is very high.

And your claim that SA has banned any gas development is blatantly false. There's plenty of gas development in the NE of the state. They started it decades ago, and it's still very much ongoing.

SA's coal seams are quite remote, and I think it's the commercial reality of that and their relatively small size that prevents them being exploited, not any legal restrictions.

The SA opposition (yes, the Liberals) sensibly want a ban on fracking in SE SA to protect the aquifers. Bt the government don't. And there's near universal support for gas development in the rest of the state.

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Bazz,

Why are you so uncertain?

It's clear that wind and solar will supply an increasing amount of electricity to the country. But you seem obsessed with the problems of supply meeting 100% of demand. I say we should cross that bridge when we come to it - when we do, it's likely technology will have resolved most of the current uncertainty.

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SteeleRedux,

While I mostly agree with you, I do know of one example of a blatantly fudged report from GHD. Their report investigating (and recommending against) railway bypassing the Adelaide Hills.

Aiden said:
I say we should cross that bridge when we come to it

Errr, we did reach that bridge !

No, Bazz, we're nowhere near it.
What made you think otherwise?

Faith, hope, prayer. The Green/South Australian/Weatherill/Aidan way.