Luke Hartsuyker’s weekly column in The Express (15/2/17), ‘Heatwave adds to energy woes in SA’ follows the Coalition line that Labor’s renewable energy target of 50% by 2030 ‘just won’t work’. However, he over-simplifies the factors that led to the loss of power in South Australia.
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He puts the blame on over-reliance on renewable energy, however a report released by Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) shows that the real reasons for the blackout were very different.
The report finds that the blackout occurred because regulators underestimated peak demand and that the Pelican Point gas-fired power plant remained idle throughout the incident.
Gas generators are ideal for providing a rapid response for such emergencies, but they have to be switched on!
Mr Hartsuyker’s article therefore appears to be an opportunistic political attack on renewable energy rather than an informed assessment of the facts.
The fact is that renewable energy was not to blame for either of the recent major blackouts in SA and the Government tried to lie about this both times.
Mick Lyons
Climate Change Australia (Hastings)
