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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