This comes from the comments on the...

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    This comes from the comments on the article........................

    COST OF RENEWABLE ENERGY INFASTRUCTURE AND ITS INEFFENICY

    Ok, I will venture where Media Watch fails to tread. In terms of renewable energy, lets look at Europe because they are promoted as world leaders in this area. Forget that Europe has spent $1 trillion Euro ($) on renewable infrastructure up the end of 2014.

    Figures eagerly quoted by media and politicians, always quote the capacity of renewables and never the actual output achieved. Why is this? Because actual output can be as low as 14% of capacity. To simplify this, Europe’s quoted electrical generating capacity is around 216 Gigawatts, about 22% of the total European generation needs of about 1000 Gigawatts. But the actual measured output for 2014 from data supplied by the Renewables Industry was just 38 Gigawatts or 3.8% of Europe’s electricity requirement, at a capacity factor of just 18% overall.

    But it gets worse, Renewable Energy production is dependent on the seasons, local weather etc. This in effect means that the Renewable Energy contribution to the electricity supply grid is inevitably erratic, intermittent and non-dispatchable. It is therefore much less useful than base load sources of electricity, which can be engaged whenever necessary to match demand and maintain grid stability.

    That 3.8% Renewable Energy contribution to the grid is often not available when needed and therefore its mandatory use can cause major grid disruption, if the Renewable Energy contribution is suddenly over abundant.

    To maintain this erratic nature, Coal usage in Europe has actually increased by 200,000 tonnes in the last 5 years, increasing every single year. The end result Carbon dioxide emissions, based on electricity generation are increasing.

    But here is the crunch, accounting for capacity factors, the capital cost of these Renewable Energy installations has been about €29billion / Gigawatt. This capital cost should be compared with conventional gas-fired electricity generation costing about €1billion / Gigawatt. Get it, 30 TIMES cheaper.

    Another factor often lost, in spite of their being virtually no costs for fuel, Renewable Energy installations can still cost up to 1.5 – 2.5 times as much to operate and maintain as a conventional Gas Fired plant.

    Finally, it is said that technology advances in wind and solar will save the day. Although the gains are indeed true, what is missed is that in terms of power generated, advances or gains in Nuclear, Coal and Gas fired power stations are higher.

    In conclusion, when the capacity percentages are taken into account, the capital costs can be 15 – 50 times greater than a Gas Fired plant.

    So here we have Australia – leading the world again in stupidity, following dumb dumb, dreaming of past carbon TAX glory, using NBN style accounting, Craig Thompson style integrity, qualities of Gillard’s foray into the Indonesian live cattle trade and presto – the 50% renewable target.

    sure puts the issue in another light, and makes the Obama promise look a lot of more money after bad investmentts
 
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