Hi Eagle, I tend to agree with you. This countries energy policy...

Hi Eagle,

I tend to agree with you. This countries energy policy at the moment appears to be a shambles (primarily because its set by the states). There are 3 competing objectives (that are not all compatible) - namely:
1. energy security;
2. the trend to (or preference by the left) for renewables; and
3. cheap electricity (which was the provonce of coal fired baseload power generation).

Basically you can't currently have all 3.

SA has gone off on a frolick and placed an emphasis on 2 (having ignored 1 and 3) which is why it now has unreliable high cost supply. Vic appears to be doing the same thing with the Mary 2017 closure of the Hazelwood power station (20% of that states generating capacity).

The country needs a coordinated national energy policy not an uncoordinated state based regional policy that is politically driven (like SA / Vic) or else market distortions and disruptions occur- as we are seeing.

Cheers,