But only if &amp; when the wind blows

Originally posted by acorn: ↑

Maybe our perspectives are different. Maybe they're not ?

I'm not against about a new coal power station or two if it were possible for our politicians could have a grown up conversation about it. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem possible.

If it meant building some new coal and maybe retiring some other stuff a bit earlier then I'm fine with that. I don't care if it costs us a bit more as long as it means we have ultra reliable power and no gouging.

However, is new coal that much cleaner ? I'm not so sure.

https://reneweconomy.com.au/clean-australias-clean-coal-power-stations-14224/

https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CC_MVSA0148-Report-End-of-the-Line-Coal_V3-FA_Low-Res_Single-Pages.pdf

If we can't make a significant difference in emissions by building new coal then is it really worth it ? Even if we started now it's probably 5 years at best before a new coal station will be supplying power. Snowy 2.0 and the Tassie Big Battery let alone all the other storage projects could be up and running in about that time frame. In the same period some pretty significant amounts of renewable generation will be built as well.

Very disappointingly, the Coalition has demonstrated that they are going to as little as possible about emission reduction. Labor has pledged to do much more although we're yet to see the detail of that.

I do wonder about curtailment. It is my understanding that many renewable generators are curtailed almost daily according to a report I read. If that's the case you've got to wonder why it isn't talked about more.

P.S. I can't believe I'm providing a link to JoanneNova.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/renewable-power-to-burn-drives-15bn-push-for-interconnector/news-story/d673d75220b153e7a16454fe56d439a7

http://joannenova.com.au/2019/01/more-wind-and-solar-than-sa-can-use-we-threw-away-10-of-the-generation/

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Hi, most likely we have the data to answer many of these questions. I've been trying to get my head around this so here is a snapshot from Feb to current which I have been working on: There are 72 Days and 1,735 hours.

1 - actual capacity factors in the NEM

2 - Generation and Capacity

3 - Storage required to balance

Note: Data comes from AEMO scada extracts for generators and OpenNem for rooftop. I separated out the new W & S because output in commissing is not representative of potential and makes the numbers worse. Whilst a work in progress it highlights the challenges in analysing numbers.

Using data we can analyse what the authorities are telling us. They all have the same data.

Overall I think we need to spend more time critically reviewing the data, from the data the solution will come and by identifying risks & weakness we will avoid costly errors.
Have to go out but thought it might give some context to our discussion.
Bw