I was interested in an article in another publication recently entitled Australia risks failing on renewable energy.
The last paragraph said: “If there’s a message from recent renewable energy investment trends, it’s that Australia’s natural advantage in sun and wind energy won’t be enough on its own”.
An interesting omission in the article was the word “nuclear”.
Despite the premise “aren’t we wonderfully looking after the planet with our cheap, green energy” we are exporting coal as fast as we can.
The buyers will combust it.
A significant part of the funds for our clean, green renewables comes from the sale of coal.
The sale of coal means that it will be combusted adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
So what are we achieving?
Without the export of coal our standard of living would decrease.
Coal is one of the most important exports in dollar terms.
Certainly we are not contributing to the reduction of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere; we are actually contributing to it in a way that is increasing the cost and unreliability of our new electricity generating systems.
We are dependent on coal.
None of this seems to be in the interests of the Australian taxpayer.
Maybe a committee of taxpayers should be put in charge instead of those who are now spending it and perhaps making money out of the present situation?
Email, June 29
Charles Hemmings, Woy Woy