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Hot air and OBP's

To: Graham Buchan <>
Subject: Hot air and OBP's
From: Carl Clifford <>
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 12:40:01 +1000
Graham,
if our Governments, both Federal and State were to subsidise the alternate power industries to the extent that the fossil fuel industries, particularly coal, Australia could be completely "green" powered in about 20 years. But that will not happen, because the alternate power industries have a much lower labour requirement post set-up, which would mean the loss of a large number of jobs. All sides of Government are paranoid about the potential electoral backlash that this would bring about, not to mention the loss of "donations to their respective parties, from the non-renewable energy industries. Meanwhile, the average voter is happy to sit back and leave it to the Governments to fix the problems. I personally think that there will be central heating in Hades before that happens.
Carl

On 09/09/2006, at 12:14 PM, Graham Buchan wrote:

Greg,

Thanks for your input to the debate.

Do you know or have you seen any figures on how much it would cost (dollars,
time, land) to build sufficient solar capacity to generate Australia's
anticipated energy demands by 2050. And where, practically, it (or I should
say they being solar power stations) be built?

The idea of significantly reducing demand is a theoretically sound one but
would involve radically changing consumption habits of a European-style
civilisation used to untrammelled growth for over a century. Its, sadly,
unrealistic to imagine that happening in 50 let alone 100 years.

Anyway, good to see others being 'simply smarter' when it comes to every day
energy use.

Cheers,

Graham Buchan






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