The factors that make all the difference between electricity generators.
It is A. The reliable supply of fuel. B. The operating life time of the generator. C. Connection to the Grid. D. Decommissioning and disposal at the end of productive life. That differentiates, coal, gas and nuclear generators from solar, wind and battery energy storage renewables for reliability of supply and cost of electricity production.
A1. Coal and gas generators are powered by fossil fuels which are able to have a constant, even supply of fuel for the complete 24 hours. They are able to supply a constant amount of electricity for the 24hrs.
B1. Coal and gas generators have a generating life of 50 years or more, which means the capital cost of generation can be recovered over more MWhs. At a resultant lower price per MWh.
C1. The HV Transmission lines are already in place, no extra ones are required.
D1. Coal and gas generators cover a small area of land and are reasonably simple to decommission.
A2. Uranium is a mineral fuel for a nuclear reactor. The Nuclear Reactor is able to be loaded with fuel for a constant supply for the 24 hours. It is able to supply a constant amount of electricity for the 24hrs.
B2. A nuclear reactor has a generating life of 50 years or more, which means the capital cost of generation can be recovered over more MWHs. At a resultant lower price per MWh.
C2. A nuclear reactor can be placed on a present coal generating site, where the HV Transmission lines are already in place.
D2. A uranium reactor covers a small area of land and is reasonably simple to decommission. In its lifetime it creates a small amount of nuclear waste, which can be stored safely and is under constant review. The main problem in getting a long-term disposal site, is that it has become a political issue. https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/radioactive-waste-australia
A3. Solar panels are powered by a weather fuel Sunshine. At 12am every day the fuel tank is empty and will remain empty for the next seven to eight hours, until the Sun rises at 7am or 8am. If the weather is fine there may be nine hours of fuel available. But this is uncertain and subject to cloud cover and the fuel tank can suddenly be empty at any time. Beginning between 5pm and 6pm, the fuel tank becomes empty and remains empty for the next fifteen to sixteen hours. This means the fuel tank for solar panels is empty for a minimum of fifteen hours of everyday and could be up to the whole day. A Solar farm can guarantee it will provide zero electricity for the hours of darkness and cannot guarantee it will provide electricity for any particular hour of the day.
The claim a solar farm will power 133,000 homes (Gundary Solar https://lightsourcebp.com/project/gundary-solar/ needs to be qualified to say that the solar farm may power the 133,000 homes for a maximum of 9hrs a day. With the 133,000 homes requiring a completely different source of power for the remaining 15hrs of each day. A solar farm is completely unsuitable and uneconomic to supply baseload electricity 24/7 for a modern society.
B3. A solar farm has a generating life which begins to decrease at 25 years and becomes less viable at 30 years. https://coldwellsolar.com/commercial-solar-blog/what-is-the-life-expectancy-of-solar-farms/ This means the capital cost of generation has to be recovered over fewer MWHs. At a resultant higher price per MWh.
C3. A solar farm is usually sited, hundreds of kilometres from the Grid. Extra HV Transmission lines have to be constructed across productive farmland and national parkland to connect the solar farms, causing havoc to farmers, including paying a rent fee. Altogether greatly increasing the cost to the consumer. NOTE: When small modular nuclear reactors come on line, the new transmission lines, will become redundant. Will they be removed?
D3. A solar farm covers a large area of land. To completely replace a solar farm would be extremely expensive as the old panels would need to be removed and disposed of. The disposal will create a huge environmental hazard, and a very significant cost. As most will go to landfill it is creating a huge environmental problem, that should never had been created in the first place. All this before any new panels can be put in place.
Note: In my personal opinion as the operators of solar farms, to my knowledge, have not had to put up decommissioning bonds or sign any other obligation to return the site to its original condition. There is nothing stopping them walking away at the end of the solar farm’s productive life and leaving it as a solar graveyard.
A4. Wind Turbines are powered by a weather fuel the Wind. At 12am on any day, there is no certainty that the fuel tank will have any fuel available as the weather may be calm. Because they can only produce electricity, when the wind speed is between 12kms/hr and 90kms/hr. The industry reports that Wind Turbines only produce electricity on average for only 35% of their rated capacity or on average for eight hours per day. Wind Turbines can be becalmed for days at a time, producing no electricity. Likewise, if a gale blows for several days no electricity is produced. https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy/wind/pros-cons-wind-energy/ In addition, wind farms have other downsides. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/10/large-scale-wind-power-has-its-down-side/
The claim a wind farm will power 320,000 homes (Chalumbin Wind Farm https://cafnec.org.au/chalumbin-wind-farm-development/ ) needs to be qualified to say that the windfarm may power the 320,000 homes for intermittently for an average of 9hrs a day. With the 320,000 homes needing at any time to seek a completely different source of power for the remaining 15hrs of each day. A wind farm is completely unsuitable and uneconomic to supply baseload electricity 24/7 for a modern society.
B4. Wind turbines are designed to last 20 – 25years however with each turbine having over 8,000 parts, breakdowns may be earlier. It is reported that at 10 years of life, blades and gearboxes are needing to be replaced already so it is unlikely they will make it another 10 years. https://energyfollower.com/how-long-do-wind-turbines-last/
C4. A wind farm is usually sited, hundreds of kilometres from the Grid. Extra HV Transmission lines have to be constructed across productive farmland and national parkland to connect the solar farms, causing havoc to farmers, including paying a rent fee. Altogether greatly increasing the cost to the consumer. NOTE: When small modular nuclear reactors come on line, the new transmission lines, will become redundant. Will they be removed?
D4. Decommissioning. The cost to teardown a single turbine is $A 308,000. To dispose of the debris will create an environmental nightmare, particularly the huge fibreglass blades. Most of it will go to landfill. https://stopthesethings.com/2023/10/31/touring-texan-turbine-graveyards-becomes-latest-green-tourism-venture/
FOR THE REASONS, SET OUT ABOVE. I BELIEVE SOLAR PANELS AND WIND TURBINES ARE TOO UNRELIABLE AND UNECONOMIC TO BE USED TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY IN A MODERN ECONOMY
Show your concern and join Rural, Coastal and City, Australians from all walks of life and all across Australia in a protest rally in Canberra on the 6th February 2024. You can follow and support the “National Rally against Reckless Renewables” on their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/RallyAgainstRecklessness/
If you can’t go yourself, you can support the Rally at their Go Fund Me Page Reckless Renewables Rally 6/2/24 https://www.gofundme.com/f/stop-the-reckless-rollout-of-unreliable-power?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer
THE FRAGILITY OF OUR ENERGY GRID UNDERLINES WHY THE LIDDELL COAL FIRED POWER STATION SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CLOSED
May I strongly urge all business owners, large and small. CEO’s Managers, those in charge of aged care homes, and other public institutions, everyone in a position of management. Homeowners, etc. Blackouts are a diabolically, serious issue. Talk with your management, boards, staff about how it will affect your business. Prepare plans to cope.
WE NEED TO KEEP WHAT BASE LOAD POWER WE HAVE, AND IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO CLOSE A COAL FIRED POWER STATION BEFORE RELIABLE POWER GENERATORS ARE IN PLACE.
Continue to promote our petition as widely as possible. https://www.change.org/p/blackouts-will-be-devastating-they-must-be-avoided-at-all-costs I would value it if you are able to donate $20 or $50 to promote the petition on Change.org and also promote it on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp or Email.
KEEP INFORMED BY DAILY MONITORING THE AEMO DATA DASHBOARD. And alert your friends to watch the AEMO dashboard, the more know what's happening the better.
Particularly at 7pm and 7am (Or a time that suits you?) watch (and record) the mix of coal, gas hydro, batteries, solar and wind generation and the prices per MWh for each State on the AEMO dashboard.
Example: 1st February 5.00pm EDST. Batteries 0%, Biomass 0%, Black Coal 49%, Brown Coal 12%, Gas 3%, Hydro 3% Diesel 0% Solar 23%, Wind 10% (The unreliables Batteries, Solar and Wind a total of 33%). But another 2 hours and Solar will have gone for its daily 16-hour sleep.
FOR A GENERATOR TO BE PAID TO BE IDLE FOR 66% OF EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR. JUST GOES TO SHOW THE RUSH TO RECKLESS RENEWABLES IS THE MOST FUTILE PROGRAM IMAGINABLE. THOSE PROMOTING THE PROGRAM HAVE TAKEN LEAVE OF THEIR SENSES
We are up to 2,736 signatures, let’s increase it by many more, everyone’s future depends on it. Continue to spread the word, to all family, friends, anyone you meet, particularly discuss it with shop and business owners. Ask the question, “How do you plan to cope when the blackouts come? Are you thinking of buying a generator? I’m having second thoughts about the portable generator, but I have gas for cooking and heating. WE MUST KEEP THOSE COAL FIRED GENERATORS GOING, TO KEEP THE REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS FROM THAWING OUT.