Not trying be smart.... but the grid workers are on a good thing too.
Had a mate do an adult apprenticeship as a network linesman starting about 6 years back... $50,000 per year for 4 years... no prior experience required... provided with training every course and ticket under the sun by completion of trade.
Massive new costs in ever more careful work sites/safety methods are also adding cost.
ARENA looking to tip in over $2billion to new renewable/improve grid type projects... but that's nation wide.
The dollars thin out quick state by state... project by project.
So I agree... green power adding to costs.
But also a lot of work we don't see going on...
Even just at AUSGRID for example (who update their website constantly)... if we can trust them! (should be OK... government backer) then they are doing many billions of dollars of work.. a lot of it to strengthen capacity and bolster peak load capacity.
Ms Gillard has mentioned the "peak-load" bottle-neck in our grid system... but she is right to a large degree... if we city-slickers as the consumer demand a grid that never fails due to peak loading.... then they have to build extra capacity if the theory is to be continued.
But in reality the cheapest way to avoid peaks (a few times a year) is demand management.... switching off or sharing capacity... but the mentality seems to be... "NOT ME!" Everyone seems to want power for A/C etc ... 24/7
Second route is to introduce storage (hydro/battery/air etc).
Third is localized Peaker Plants (gas fired?)
... plus a few other ways.
Agree.. we are just bunnies.... hard to fight the system!
