-
The energy crisis we had to have?
This is the first note for the new Federal Parliament. It is not time to start writing to members in the House of Reps because our mailman has yet to update the list to allow for the changes caused by the election.
-
Getting to the grassroots
The Energy Realists of Australia are about to progress the program that started three years ago with a series of briefing notes to 800+ state and federal members. Some will recall the letter-writing campaign that was a part of the program, whereby volunteers would write to their local member at their electoral address to follow…
-
Growing up in Mao’s China
A close and personal look at the Cultural Revolution and the Tiananmen Square Massacre The story of Amei’s life began in a warm and comfortable family in an inner suburb of Beijing. Her time in the selective high school is delightful until Mao reactivated the class war as a vehicle to retain his paramount leadership…
-
Is Putin in the bunker?
A week can be a long time in war. The Russian president cut a diminished figure as he met with the same National Security Council by video link from an undisclosed location on Thursday. There were dark patches beneath his eyes and he seemed to falter as he stood to honour the Russian dead. Away…
-
Growing up in Mao’s China
Hot off the press! A close and personal look at the Cultural Revolution. A timely reminder of the way communist regimes behave when push comes to shove. The story of Amei’s life began in a warm and comfortable family in an inner suburb of Beijing. Her time in the selective high school is delightful until…
-
Heads up for Flickerpower!
Flickerpower is launched! This supersedes the temporary residence of the Energy Realists at RiteOn. The site is still a work in progress so don’t take any notice of the other material that is placeholding for proper content, the sharp edge is the list of Briefing Notes. There are more notes to come, and there will…
-
Environmental Issues with Construction of RE Facilities
Briefing Note 22.1 February 2022 Background Serious environmental issues arise at ten stages of RE production, from mining raw materials to the disposal of turbines, batteries and solar panels at the end of their working lives. Critical issues at the phase of construction RE facilities, including the poles and wires required to carry the power…
-
More trouble in the green paradise
How one disaster leads to another, the crisis in European high tech caused by the energy fiasco. European silicon output shrinking, metal smelters closing as electricity prices quadruple. For high tech nerds and market watchers, the chip situation worldwide. But don’t worry the EU will legislate to fix it! EC president promises European Chips Act…
-
SA the wind leader running on gas and coal
Approaching breakfast-time SA is importing half of its power from Victoria and 94% of the local generation is gas. The turbines are running at 2% of capacity and providing 5% of demand. Victoria is generating a small excess of power but not enough to prop up SA without help from Tasmania and NSW. The Victorian…
-
The ups and downs of RE in South Australia
Jess Hunt, an energy market designer with the Energy Security Board, posted a comment on LinkedIn to describe how the energy supply in SA was up and down in the week between Christmas and New year 2021-2022. This week’s energy supply mix in South Australia is a great example of variability that we need to…