New Catallaxy

We have to talk about Net Zero

It’s time to leave

It has been said before Clexit, Climate Exit, let’s get on with it.

Change the story, change the course of history.

Recall the trajectory of significant new ideas. First they are dismissed as heretical, then they become controversial and next thing they are old hat. Or it goes: unthinkable, interesting and exciting, then “everyone knows that already.”

So say out loud, Net Zero is impossible, it is catastrophic for the environment, for modern industries, the economy, and household budgets.

Distribute simple facts

Start with wind literacy. When enough people check the NemWatch widget regularly, especially at breakfast and dinnertime, we will be on the way.

This morning, Friday 11 at 7.00 wind provided 7% of power across the NEM at CF 18%.

In SA, the wind-leader, it was providing 9% at CF 5%. gas 68%, diesel 15% and battery 7%.

Three critical things about the power supply.

1, Input to the grid must be continuous.

2. Windless nights break the continuity of wind and solar input.

3, There is no feasible and affordable storage in sight to bridge the gaps.

And so we will have to keep burning coal until nuclear is running, or burn gas at crippling expense.

If we knew 25 years ago what we know now about wind droughts the RE ponzi scheme could have been aborted before it started. Anton Lang and Paul Miskelly warned up over a decade ago but who took any notice?

One more thing, explain that the low points of supply kill the system, so looking at the lows points of wind and solar supply is not cherry-picking, it is due dilgence.

Rafe Champion

5 responses to “We have to talk about Net Zero”

  1. kneel Avatar
    kneel

    “…is not cherry-picking, it is due dilgence.”

    As is pointing out that we need several hundred years worth of mining at 2019 rates to get the metals and rare-earths needed just to replace what we currently have. If we move from ICE vehicles to EVs, this number explodes.

    To suggest that we can somehow ramp up mining, refining and manufacturing of these metals and rare-earths before 2050 is sheer ignorance – just finding the minerals and getting the mine set up can take 15-20 years.

  2. Rohan Avatar
    Rohan

    Start with wind literacy. When enough people check the NemWatch widget regularly, especially at breakfast and dinnertime, we will be on the way.

    That is all well and good, but how do you get the message out?

    How do you market that?

    Because the average punter has a million and one things going on in real life and are generally apathetic. It’s one thing to talk to what, 100-200 people on a political blog who largely have the same background and thoughts. It’s another entirely to sway the masses. That takes coordination, time and serous coin.

  3. Rafe Champion Avatar
    Rafe Champion

    Thanks Rohan, untl we have serious coind we will get the message out without spending money, by rolling out the National (Energy) Information Network.
    Post impending to explain more.

  4. Leon L. Avatar
    Leon L.

    As per the voice, rebranding is required.
    It is Absolute Zero, not net zero.

  5. Roger Avatar
    Roger

    As I observed today on the open forum, an Australia that is not signed up to Net Zero will be subject to punitive sanctions and tariffs by the US & EU that would be politically unacceptable domestically, which I believe explains Morrisons capitulation at Glasgow.

    I’d be happy to rely on abundant & cheap QLD coal for my electrickery until kingdom come, but the political reality is that we’re a small to middling player in the greater scheme of things and as such we have been bullied into submission.

    Until our allies (in the loosest sense) abandon Net Zero (likely) or we realign with BRICS (unlikely) that’s where it stands.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *