The rising cost of electricity hit us with our latest energy bill.
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The Finkel plan for the National Electricity Market hit us too. But what will the plan do to fix this problem?
Many Australians have already made rational decisions about energy supply. They have put solar on their rooftops and are saving money through new technology, including very cost effective batteries.
But there are many homes that cannot do that, and they rely on the grid. They won’t be able to benefit from the boom in renewables.
That’s because of the Finkel plan. It will inflate the cost of renewable energy by about 20%, by forcing new renewable generation to have energy storage. Coal or gas fired plants won’t be penalised this way.
Is this about reliability? No, it isn’t. Germany has demolished the myth that wind and solar power can’t deliver.
It is the world’s fourth-largest economy, and renewable energy provides nearly one-third of the electricity consumed there. Germany has one of the most reliable electricity grids in the world, and also exports energy.
And while it still uses coal and nuclear generation, these are becoming uncompetitive as renewable technology develops.
So, it looks like someone else has already solved most of the problems that are said to be in the way of renewables.
Why then is sunny Australia missing out on the best renewable technologies? We’ve already shown we want to invest in them.
Instead we are stuck with a system where fossil fuels make 87 per cent of our electricity. And prices that keep going up.
Julie Ho
Port Macquarie