Mastodawn

BOOM!
South Australia's power prices have plummeted as they near 100% renewables, proving to the world that relying on wind and solar with battery back-up is possible, more reliable and costs people less.

THIS is how we avoid the next oil crisis.

#EnergyRevolution #solar #renewables #australia #makeoilhistory #auspol #NZPol #NewZealand #iran

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2514985-this-states-power-prices-are-plummeting-as-it-nears-100-renewables/?utm_source=nickofnz&utm_medium=nickofnz

This state’s power prices are plummeting as it nears 100% renewables

South Australia is proving to the world that relying largely on wind and solar energy with battery back-up is incredibly cheap, with electricity prices tumbling by 30 per cent in a year and sometimes going negative

New Scientist

gusseting 20h ago

RE: https://mastodon.social/@gusseting/116391056837022378

@JulianOliver don't believe the climate hype re: Australia's "massive" renewables use nearing 100% renewables. Australia is at 9% renewables as a % of total energy consumption, and is the largest user of diesel per capita in the world ⬇️

@gusseting @JulianOliver
Some nuance: if that 9% figure is correct, it would be skewed by the massive mining (and to a lesser extent) farming industries. There is very little cargo shipped by rail, with some ocean going traffic - most is moved by road in trucks.

The electricity grids are much greener than total energy use, with rooftop solar providing a lot of savings.
1/2

robloblaw 20h ago

@gusseting @JulianOliver
Trucking should be aggressively decarbonised now electric trucks are here, but this government isn't investing in the charging network needed for that process to start
2/2

gusseting 19h ago

@robloblaw Thank you for your thoughts.
I've had similar conversations previously.
result:
https://mastodon.social/@gusseting/116384914471772450

Bruno Nicoletti 19h ago

@gusseting @robloblaw Go read up on the primary energy fallacy.

robloblaw 17h ago

@gusseting
It is a petrostate, with all the corruption that implies; but renewables are the cheapest form of new electricity generation, EVs are cheaper than ICE vehicles. The grid getting cheaper and greener benefits all, even though it currently favours home owners (roof top solar + batteries).
1/2

robloblaw 17h ago

@gusseting
How much of that gas usage is spent cooling methane for export? Gas networks for homes and industry are already worrying about death spirals as heat pumps replace them for heating, and state gov. incentives discourage gas cooking.

Where did that data come from? It seems like coal usage should have reduced more than that recently.
2/2

gusseting 6h ago

@robloblaw before you start commenting on threads, could you please do the service of reading them?
The answers to your questions are all there.
https://mastodon.social/@gusseting/116391056837022378
This is not just a post below, but a whole thread of another 3 posts following. Please read them.

Alessandro Corazza 🇨🇦16h ago

@robloblaw @gusseting

Sorry to be pedantic, but "petrostate" refers to a country whose economy is dependent on oil exports, like Russia or Saudi Arabia. We could even say Canada is one for the sake of argument, or to make a point. Australia though is definitely not.

AccordionBruce 8h ago

@alessandro @robloblaw @gusseting
Canadian here, shamefully supportive for the clarification, as we raise our hand as 11th highest carbon contributor per-capita globally (just behind Saudi Arabia)

gusseting 6h ago

@AccordionBruce @alessandro @robloblaw
However you want to slice and dice the data, or the naming of what Australia is and does, we are not the renewables superpower that the media is making Australia out to be.
Australia is one of the world's largest exporters + polluters c/o fossil fuels. We're the largest user of diesel per capita in the world.
We're a huge source of industrial agriculture and export to McDonalds in 190 nations.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/12/australian-fossil-fuel-exports-ranked-second-globally-for-climate-damage-with-no-plan-for-reduction

Australian fossil fuel exports ranked second only to Russia for climate damage with ‘no plan’ for reduction

Coal and gas exports expected to remain roughly at current level until at least 2035 with 4.5% of emissions linked to Australia, report finds

The Guardian

gusseting 6h ago

@alessandro @robloblaw
fyi:
https://johnmenadue.com/post/2023/12/time-for-australia-to-admit-its-a-petrostate/
Name another country whose politicians proudly wear the uniform of fossil fuel companies as if they're employees. Ours has, for over 10 years.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/why-this-picture-of-anthony-albanese-wearing-a-rio-tinto-shirt-has-raised-eyebrows/7ferwvi9m

Time for Australia to admit it’s a petrostate

The first step in fixing any problem is acknowledging it. And for Australia on climate change, that means admitting we are a petrostate.

Pearls and Irritations

gusseting 5h ago

RE: https://mastodon.social/@gusseting/115975616312735603

@alessandro @robloblaw
Where is 10 years worth of any other countries political leaders wearing fossil fuel uniforms like Australia's does?
PETROSTATE:
"A petrostate, oil state or petrocracy is a country whose economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and export of oil or natural gas."
IEA: GAS IN AUSTRALIA
https://www.iea.org/countries/australia/natural-gas
Share of domestic gas production
367.9%
Trend
360%
change 2000-2024
How do those stats not show a petrostate?

Bruno Nicoletti 19h ago

@robloblaw @gusseting @JulianOliver Fortescue mining has an agressive decarbonisation plan based on electricifcation and renewables. It should also save them money and insulate them from volatile fossil fuels prices. Meanwhile the Bellevue gold mine is already 90% wind and solar powered. So even the supposed hard cases can be electrified.

robloblaw 17h ago

@bjn @gusseting
For remote mining sites, renewables + batteries is a competitive edge. Trucking diesel is very expensive.