NSW’s Perrottet/Kean government has declared its second renewable energy hub as it continues plans to quickly phase out coal-fired power stations.
The new hub will be located in New England in the State’s north-east, with the NSW government banking on $10.7b from the private sector to fund the project, of which $78.9m will come directly from State taxpayers.
- Rapid shifts to renewable energy could see coal power retire three times earlier than originally expected.
- Experts warn not to rush transition to renewables, citing the UK’s energy supply mess.
The billion-dollar figure is more than twice the private sector investment of $5.2b required for the State’s previously announced renewable energy zone (REZ) in the central west Orana region, near Dubbo.
It comes as part of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, which outlines plans for five REZs to supplant the State’s dependence on coal—a source that currently makes up more than two thirds of the State’s generated electricity.
HALVE
NSW had previously announced its goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and halve its emissions by 2030.
Australia’s overly rapid shift to renewable energy could see coal power retire three times earlier than originally expected.
The nation’s push to lower its emissions comes following a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that concluded carbon dioxide to be the primary contributor to climate change, although this has been disputed by peer-reviewed research questioning the IPCC over its decision to not consider the effects of solar energy.
REZs have been lauded as a replacement to typical power stations and feature solar, wind, and energy storage – such as batteries – all in one place.
This offers to reduce overall costs by capitalising on economies of scale, such as reducing the amount of transmission cables required.
NSW Energy Corporation CEO James Hay said the New England REZ had great natural energy resources, including potential sites for “pumped hydro.”
Pumped hydro is a form of energy storage that involves pumping water into reservoirs at a higher elevation, and releasing the water to re-harness the energy when required.
“REZs are the modern-day equivalent of a power station, combining low cost renewables with back-up energy from storage and transmission to deliver cheap, reliable and clean energy,” Mr Hay said.
UNADDRESSED
With the accelerated adoption of solar, wind and battery systems, concerns have been raised regarding the use of slave labour in the renewable energy supply chain, along with diminishing energy security brought on by a hasty transition.
Experts have warned of the need not to rush the transition to renewables, a point that has been backed by the UK’s 2021 energy crisis which saw swathes of wind turbines sit stagnant following low wind levels.
NSW’s radical energy shift has prompted the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to enforce rules that require certain sectors to report annually on how they’re addressing the risk of slavery in the renewable supply chain.
“Modern slavery risks are heightened when there is a change in procurement strategy and high volumes of manufactured goods are required at short notice,” the commission states.
“The shift to renewable energy has revealed a number of areas of emerging modern slavery supply chain risk for energy companies.”
SLAVES
This includes child slave labour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where allegations have been put forward of children being regularly maimed and killed by tunnel collapses during the mining of cobalt – a critical material used in batteries.
China – which has been the focus of numerous accounts of human rights abuses, such as the mass forced organ harvesting of Falun Dafa adherents and the persecution of Tibetan Buddhists – has also enslaved millions of ethnic Uyghur, Kyrgyz and Kazakh citizens who have been found to work in the production of solar cells.
Most of Australia’s supply of renewable energy systems come from China – the world’s biggest producer of solar panels, wind turbines and battery cells.
This includes 90 per cent of its solar panels, as Australia has little to none of its own renewable manufacturing capabilities.
Chinese wind turbines have also been put under the spotlight recently after nearly half of wind turbines inspected at Australia’s largest wind farm were found to be cracked and would need months of repairs – despite being in operation for less than five months.
TRANSFER
Leader of the United Australia Party and federal MP Craig Kelly, who has been critical of NSW transition to net-zero, highlighted the increasing dependence on China brought on by the energy transition.
“The net result will be a wealth transfer out of Australia to the Communist Party of China,” Mr Kelly previously told The Epoch Times.
“It forces us to rely upon large batteries which come from China, more wind turbine parts, all of which come from China.”PC
The good news is that Barnaby Joyce has Matt Kean’s number. Joyce is totally opposed to seeing his electorate disfigured by unsightly and inefficient windmills and their associated power cables. Of course if the electorate makes the mistake of throwing Morrison out of office, Kean gains. Kean’s most effective critic will be less effective.
Kean will destroy NSW and thereafter Australia. This fool is a zealot. Renewables do not work because they are weather dependent: when the sun don’t shine and the wind don’t blow neither do they. Solar works about 15% of the time as averaged over a year, wind 25%. But during that time you never know when they’ll be working. You could have an excellent 2 months and then barely nothing for another 2 months. Batteries are useless because they don’t produce power only store it very inefficiently losing 30% of the stored power in the storage and release processes. And if your energy sources, wind and solar produce so little power unreliably, how can you get power into the batteries?
As well wind and solar, and batteries, use rare earth and other materials which need to be sued for other vital purposes such as computers and medical equipment, their mining is the most polluting of all mining and China controls most of the Earth’s rare Earths.
Kean is an idiot; or he and his cronies are making money from the damned things; or both.
A puppet of course, a creation and follower of “The Turnbull Party” so called after PM Abbott was replaced as Liberal-National Coalition Leader.
And a strange person, reference The Daily Telegraph, a while ago and story about Green, I mean Kean joining his local RFS and posing in brand new volunteer uniform, admitting that he had never participated in training and was far too busy with ministerial duties to fight bushfires.
Unlike PM Abbott after he led the Coalition to a landslide defeat of Rudd again Labor in September 2013 who drove an RFS fire truck with other volunteer members to fight bushfires on the NSW South Coast in January 2014 during his holidays.
And just like when PM Morrison was overseas during bushfires that began in December 2019, noting that fire fighting is State Government responsibility, in NSW State Emergency Services including the RFS, the Deputy PM was Acting PM in accordance with protocol.
And if one criticises Kean to Ruddock, one is accused of Gay Hate. It’s nothing to do with sexual preferences. It’s about the person. I have 2 relatives who are Gays, but they are, on a human level, PEOPLE one can respect which is more than I can say for Kean. He is a concern, as a Treasurer who has a serious ‘lack of attention to detail’ syndrome. For me – that’s a worry in a Treasurer!!
Please remember that the privatisation of NSW Electricity assets was planned and the start commenced while Labor were in government. The transition to so called renewable energy was first started by Labor in SA. The Gillard (Rudd, Gillard & Rudd 2007 to 2013) introduced a carbon tax of 10% on electricity bills and a renewable energy surcharge of 10% on electricity bills, plus 10% GST.
However, the NSW LINO Left and backers financial interests in renewable energy transition that has let Northern Hemisphere nations down, the energy crisis now underway in those countries turning to gas and coal, restarting nuclear power stations too, was predicted by electrical engineers and others who understand that wind and solar are unreliable energy sources that will never fully supply or even get close to delivering essential baseload electricity and peak demand. Not even with ancillary equipment generators and storage batteries.
And consider in the exercise in futility the massive areas of land that would be needed, note suitable locations and not just any vacant land. Capital Hill wind turbine business in NSW has 67 wind turbines with a theoretical or engineering design Nameplate Capacity totalling 140 MW installed over 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares), the AEMO rates them using Capacity Factor of 30% to 35% average supply rating.
Liddell coal fired, steam turbine driven generator units by four 500 MW Nameplate Capacity generators offers over 90% Capacity Factor or better than 1,800 MW generator output. Consider how many Capital Hill wind turbines would be needed and the land area to match Liddell.
Keen observers of the AEMO “dashboard” results of wind turbines and solar commercial installations real output over a year was 28.5% average, solar was 17.5% average Capacity Factor.
Matt Kean and the others are letting us down well and truly with their support for private sector renewables based and subsidised by taxpayers businesses, direct subsidies for profit not legal tax deductions for expenses incurred in earning income or profit before tax. And penalising coal fired power stations with a hidden Federal emissions surcharge that the Turnbull Federal Government introduced in 2016 and by the AEMO requiring those power stations to lower output when the wind blows and the sun shines brightly, for short periods. Power stations are designed for continuous generating and have done a magnificent job of supplying our world’s longest interconnected electricity grid between States and one Territory.
Until Labor decided to push for a transition effectively inviting crony capitalists and fellow traveller left leaning politicians supported.
The sooner the party gets rid of that awful green socialist Kean, the better for Australia. I was a loyal party member for 46 years, but left in 2011 because of that womanising drunk driving lobbyist trying to seize control of the Party for his own benefits.
I am so glad I am not in his electorate. Stephen
I understand that Matt Kean, should be Green, is a NSW LINO senior influencer.
I am on side with your disdain for Kean – but how could he be described as womanising?
Matt Kean is such a socialist he honestly believes any means justifies his evil cause. Slave labour, energy poverty for the poor and access to “PC” electric cars for the rich – which are basically coal-powered cars.
He’s a shyster. He is dangerous. And he doesn’t represent anyone.
The average Aussie cannot afford even the tiny size EV models, and we like our family size vehicles, to buy an EV equivalent is what is called luxury cars.
And how inconvenient to find recharging stations, wait for recharging noting that no more than 80% recharge of batteries is recommended reducing already lower range depending on EV model, and price.
But EV lack of emissions could be good for city and suburbs driving, definitely for country drivers like me.
Anyway, what happened to free enterprise, free markets, let consumers pick winners and losers on merit, the best product wins?