I give you another example of a fully costed solar project capable of providing 24/7 solar power. No gas, sunlight only.
This is important.
CO2 saving 50,000 tCO2 p.a
Households served 25,000
Capacity 17 MW Energy 110 GWh p.a
Capacity factor 63.1% (270 sunny days per year)
15 hours of storage
Cost GBP 260 m = AUD 390 M
Employed 45
This is what it means for Australia to be totally solar. ================================. the cost for each household 25,000 assuming WACC 9%, 30 year life, plus 2% of Capex maintence p.a and 45 people (AUD7m p.a)
$2110 per year per household if only households used power.
the total capital cost to service 8,000,000 = AUD 124 billion (Australia's GDP is 900 bn)
This requires 320 installations.
Total power = 320 * 17 = 5440 MW.
HOWEVER...the National Energy Market needs 20,00MW min to 35,000 MW max every day to run industry and the whole east coast.
So we need 35,000/17 = 2058 installations
Total cost $802 bn, or Australia's entire GDP for a year.
The cost for energy even though the sun is "free" = $345/MWh
Current cost of generated power $50-60/MWh
Ohhh..I almost forgot..that is for 270 days so increase all the solar power cost by another 35%.
These are real numbers done at scale. Proposed new more efficient mature trough collectors rather than flat plate mirrors should knock 25% off the price so we are STILL back to $353.43/MWh. A six fold increase in generated power.
(Add to this, the cost of transmission and distribution currently worth at least another $100/MWh to get energy to your door so now solar is$453/MWh, compared to current tariff $85-125/Mwh or nearly four fold increase in consumer prices).
Now add in the grid strengthening to manage the addition transmission to get energy from the 2058 solar power stations plus introduction of electric vehicles and you can see another $50/MWh added
I suggest people check these numbers for themselves and start telling people solar is not any kind of full scale answer.
It is a sheltered workshop, Government "bread and circuses" gift to the economically illiterate masses courtesy of spin meisters clinging to political power. And stuff Garnaut's analysis.
The fact is is going to be gas, then nuclear once all us old farts move aside and give the younger generation a go who don't have the same beliefs and objections to nuclear as their living-in-denial ex-hippie grandparents now turned comfortable bourgeois.
