[LINK] South Australia uses 100% solar and wind power for full week

[Stephen Loosley]

Roger writes,

>>> And so, with smarter gov sci-tech investments, we can expect free electricity?
>> So South Australia can get by for a week on ‘free’ solar & wind power? Then if the
>> Government owns the necessary infrastructure (which is surely mostly paid for by
>> now) then free electricity is a no-brainer. Imagine the rush to migrate and to build
>> industry in South Australia when this was announced. Come on, Aussie.. come on!!
>
>
> Great as all of these developments are, it's best not to lapse into marketing-spruik.
> It *might* be zero-marginal-cost. But I'd be surprised if there aren't a few variable
> costs in there. And of course original investment in infrastructure has to be 'paid off'
> in one sense or another, and that means that there are fixed interest costs to be
> contributed to.  And there's physical and electronic wear-and-tear resulting in
> progressive infrastructure deterioration and hence the need for depreciation
> / amortisation to be funded. And the infrastructure needs to be maintained,
> which means a workforce plus contractors plus parts.


Yes, all sensible points of course Roger. Thanks. And of course our governments
aren’t a free-power-generation charity organization. So let me modify my beliefs.

We all agree that the people of SA have made a truly great achievement. To build
an almost completely emissions-free state-wide energy generation resource from
simply free sunlight & wind is world news.  As you say, a truly great development.

Thus, SA people should be rewarded with cheap electricity. Surely they’ve earnt it,
also the rights to stick it to the federal government criticism for their false political criticism of the State and their system during development. Way cheap, if not free.

And also to build upon the State’s green reputation in world-wide terms, with the financial savings the systems will be making in future, perhaps the SA government
will offer subsidies for solar-water-heating for domestic and industrial installations?

With such developments SA might surely be one green-envy of the whole planet?

And our whole world can take encouragement from these stunning achievements.



--
Roger Clarke                            mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au
T: +61 2 6288 6916   http://www.xamax.com.au  http://www.rogerclarke.com

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA

Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law            University of N.S.W.
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University
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